- Date
- June 25, 2015, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Middlefield, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N275PSchweizer SGS 2 32
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150625009319A
- Case key
- 91453
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's incorrect pitch and roll rate control inputs which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and incipient spin at a low altitude.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that during a simulated glider tow rope break emergency procedure, the student pilot did not enter the correct control inputs, and the glider stalled and entered an incipient spin. The flight instructor arrested the spin, and was confronted with power line wires. The flight instructor stated that he, "immediately applied down elevator diving under the power lines." The glider impacted the terrain and trees. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that during a simulated glider tow rope break emergency procedure, the student pilot did not enter the correct control inputs, and the glider stalled and entered an incipient spin. The flight instructor arrested the spin, and was confronted with power line wires. The flight instructor stated that he, "immediately applied down elevator diving under the power lines." The glider impacted the terrain and trees. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N275P
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2 32 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 10
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 995
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Cleveland Soaring Society Inc
- Registered owner
- Cleveland Soaring Society Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 2015 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- 7G8 · Middlefield, OH
- Destination
- 7G8 · Middlefield, OH
- Airport
- 7G8 · Geauga County
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- May 2, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,383 total · 127 in this make and model · 2,240 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 19 total · 19 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KPOV, 17 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.