- Date
- May 5, 2018, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Springfield, VT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N17909Schweizer SGS 1 26
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180505004709A
- Case key
- 97206
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 inability to maintain sufficient altitude after the glider encountered downdrafts during the approach, which resulted in the glider striking trees.
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
According to the glider pilot, the glider remained airborne for about 90 minutes before encountering downdrafts while he was pursuing a cumulous cloud system. He immediately attempted to return to the airport but had to select an off-airport landing site instead. During approach, the glider had "insufficient altitude" to clear trees on the west side of the field and collided with branches before impacting the ground. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left-wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the glider pilot, he remained airborne for about 90 minutes before encountering downdrafts while pursuing a cumulous cloud system. He immediately attempted to return to the airport but had to select an off-airport landing site instead. During approach, the glider had "insufficient altitude" to clear trees on the west side of the field and collided with branches before impacting the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left-wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17909
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 1 26 (E)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 529
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 1,442.1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- New England Soaring Association Inc
- Registered owner
- New England Soaring Association Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 3, 2018
- Departed
- VSF · Springfield, VT
- Destination
- VSF · Springfield, VT
- Airport
- VSF · Hartness State (Springfield)
- 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
- 78
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 9, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,870 total · 40 in this make and model · 4,688 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KVSF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.