- Date
- June 17, 2016, 19:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Cuddybackville, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N280ESchleicher ASW 28
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160617009429A
- Case key
- 93487
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 pilot's failure to maintain the glide path required for landing in the off-field landing zone.
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 pilot reported that during a soaring competition, he found himself in an area of sink and proceeded to an open field that he had pre-selected, in the event that an off-field landing was warranted. He reported that he had a choice of two open fields, selected the field with the northeast to southwest orientation, overflew the field and noted that trees marked the northeast and southwest boundaries. He reported that he made his approach from the northeast, overshot the intended landing zone and impacted the trees that marked the southwest boundary. The glider sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The landing zone was about 800 feet long, from the northeast to the southwest boundary, and the trees were about 50 feet high. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the glider prior to impact that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a soaring competition, he found himself in an area of sink and proceeded to an open field that he had pre-selected, in the event that an off-field landing was warranted. He reported that he had a choice of two open fields, selected the field with the northeast to southwest orientation, overflew the field and noted that trees marked the northeast and southwest boundaries. He reported that he made his approach from the northeast, overshot the intended landing zone and impacted the trees that marked the southwest boundary. The glider sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The landing zone was about 800 feet long, from the northeast to the southwest boundary, and the trees were about 50 feet high. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the glider prior to impact that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N280E
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASW 28 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 28033
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 1,267.5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 4, 2015
- Departed
- N82 · Wurtsboro, NY
- Destination
- N82 · Wurtsboro, NY
- Equipment
- None
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 5, 2015
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 787 total · 530 in this make and model · 747 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KMGJ, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 13, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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.