# NTSB GAA19CA399: Schweizer SGS233, N2894H, Blairstown, NJ, June 29, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 29, 2019, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Blairstown, NJ - Coordinates: 40.971111, -74.997497 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9711&lon=-74.9975&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 99815 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA399 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99815/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99815 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA399 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper landing flare and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing and the instructor sustaining a serious injury. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8051606), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, while on final approach to land on a grass field adjacent to the runway and with the student pilot on the controls, a gyrocopter lifted off toward his glider. The student maneuvered away from the gyrocopter and then continued the approach. During the landing, the student flared too high, and despite the instructor's intervention, the glider landed hard. The glider was not damaged; however, the instructor sustained a serious injury. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The glider flight instructor reported that, while on final approach for the grass field adjacent to the runway with the student pilot on controls, a gyrocopter lifted off towards the glider. The student maneuvered away, then continued the approach. During the landing the student flared too high, and despite the instructor's intervention, the glider landed hard. The glider was not damaged, however, the flight instructor sustained a serious injury. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2894H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2894H-2022-01-31), registration cancelled 2022-01-31, S/N 524, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS233 (A) - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 2-33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-2-33a) (registry code 8051606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 524 - Year built: 1978 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Jersey Ridge Soaring LLC - Registered owner: Jersey Ridge Soaring LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Other - Departed: 1N7, Blairstown, NJ - Destination: 1N7, Blairstown, NJ - Airport: 1N7, Blairstown, runway 07, 3,112 × 70 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 60; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 3, 2017; seat: rear; flight hours: 1,811 total, 250 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days - Student pilot; age 51; injuries: none; student; seat: front ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190629008459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190629008459A), Jun 29, 2019: Schweizer SGS 2-33A, Blairstown, NJ, No damage. Flight instructor was providing the additional training to the student that is required after a practical test disapproval. The flight instructor initiated a… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99815. 194 KB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482592&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482593&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.