# NTSB IAD05CA081: PZL Swidnik PW-5, N341PW, Bloomingburg, NY, June 20, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 20, 2005, 16:24 local (20:24 UTC) - Place: Bloomingburg, NY - Coordinates: 41.52639, -74.478889 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5264&lon=-74.4789&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Albany, NY - NTSB case key (mKey): 61766 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD05CA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61766/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05CA081 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent impact with terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot was participating in a competition between regional glider pilots. After approximately 2.5 hours of gliding, while heading towards Middletown, New York, the pilot stated that thermal lift began to decrease, so he decided to divert to a closer airport. About 4.1 nautical miles from the airport, his glide computer indicated an estimated arrival altitude of 350 feet agl. Over the next mile, lift continued to be lost and the glider descended about 300 feet, which forced the pilot to find an off airport location to land. The pilot set up a right hand traffic pattern to a hay field and when he made a right turn from the base leg of the traffic pattern to the final leg, the glider's "airspeed was low" and it subsequently "stalled and nosed down." ## Factual narrative On June 20, 2005, about 1624 eastern daylight time, a PZL-Swidnik PW-5 glider, N341PW, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering for an off airport landing near Bloomingburg, New York. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 which departed the Blairstown Airport (1N7), Blairstown, New Jersey. According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to fly the "governor's cup north course" as part of a competition between regional glider pilots. After approximately 2.5 hours of gliding, while heading towards Middletown, New York, the pilot stated that thermal lift began to decrease, and he decided to divert to the Wurtsboro-Sullivan County Airport (N82), Wurtsboro, New York. About 4.1 nautical miles from the airport, his glide computer indicated an estimated arrival altitude of 350 feet agl. However, over the next mile, lift continued to be lost, and the glider descended about 300 feet, which forced the pilot to find a off airport location to land. The pilot chose to land in a hay field bordered by trees. He set up a right hand traffic pattern, and when he made a right turn from the base leg of his traffic pattern to the final leg, his "airspeed was low" and the glider "stalled and nosed down." A post accident examination of the glider by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, revealed that the glider had sustained substantial damage, and that the fuselage, was bent 90 degrees and exhibited multiple cracks and tears in the composite material. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the glider. A weather observation taken at the Orange County Airport (MGJ), Montgomery, New York, approximately 10 miles from the accident site, at 1654, recorded the winds as variable at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and clear skies below 12,000 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N341PW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N341PW), registered now, S/N 17.12.023, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PZL Swidnik PW-5 - Registry model: [Pzl-Swidnik PW-5](https://openairdocs.org/model/pzl-swidnik-pw-5) (registry code 9810150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 1712023 - Airframe hours: 360 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2005, 80 hours before - Departed: 1N7, Blairstown, NJ - Destination: 1N7 - Airport: N82, Wurtsboro County Airport, runway 9, 1,100 × 110 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; last flight review February 1, 2005; seat: single; flight hours: 1,166 total, 326 in this make and model, 1,131 as pilot in command, 51 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: MGJ, 10 nm away ## 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 20050620010609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050620010609A), Jun 20, 2005: Amtr PW5GLIDER, Bloomington, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) On 06/20/2005, at approximately 1700 EDT a, 2002 pzl-swidnik glider, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near the town of bloomingburg, new… 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.