# NTSB LAX00LA009: Schweizer SGS-2-33A, N17914, Waialua, HI, October 14, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 13, 1999, 14:27 local (Oct 14, 1999, 00:27 UTC) - Place: Waialua, HI - Coordinates: 21.570562, -158.11943 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.5706&lon=-158.1194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 8, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47612 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA009 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47612/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA009 ## Probable cause The pilot's delay in recognizing the onset of a wind direction change resulting in the downward flow of wind on the leeward side of the mountain (strong sink rate). ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, climb - to cruise - weather condition - unfavorable wind - weather evaluation - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - altitude - low - precautionary landing - required - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - berm - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The pilot made an off-airport landing due to loss of lift and collided with ground obstructions on the roll out. The pilot stated that no weather facilities are located at the uncontrolled field, other than windsocks that are located at each end, and at midfield. He stated that the preflight weather briefing forecast was for winds from the northeast consistent with the prevailing northeast trade winds. The pilot indicated that he also received local weather information from other glider pilots who had been flying prior to his departure. He said that at 2,000 feet agl he released the glider from the tow plane and began to lose altitude instead of gaining altitude as he expected. He turned to the north, away from a ridge where a strong sink rate had been reported, and proceeded to the practice area. Shortly thereafter, he realized that strong southwesterly winds were creating a strong sink rate condition and he turned toward the airport. When it became apparent that he had insufficient altitude to reach the airport he elected to make an off field landing on a road in an abandoned sugar cane plantation. During the landing rollout the left wing contacted a dirt berm; the glider turned 180 degrees from the initial landing direction and came to rest in a ditch. ## Factual narrative On October 13, 1999, at 1427 hours Hawaiian standard time, a Schweizer SGS-2-33A, N17914, collided with ground obstructions during an off-airport forced landing after encountering an unfavorable wind condition at Waialua, Oahu, Hawaii. The glider, operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight by the Civil Air Patrol, Hawaii Wing, sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local area flight that had departed from the Dillingham Airfield at 1418. No flight plan was filed. The pilot holds an airline transport pilot certificate for single and multiengine airplanes, and was undergoing instruction to obtain a glider category add-on to his certificate. He was endorsed for solo privileges in gliders. Reported winds, obtained from a remote weather observation facility approximately 15 miles away, were from 060 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot stated that no weather facilities are located at the uncontrolled field, other than windsocks that are located at each end, and at midfield. He stated that the preflight weather briefing forecast was for winds from the northeast consistent with the prevailing northeast trade winds, and runway 8 was in use. The pilot indicated that he also received local weather information from other glider pilots who had been flying prior to his departure. The pilot said that the takeoff was normal, with turbulence experienced at 500 feet above ground level (agl). During the climb he noted that the winds were from the northeast, and were light and variable. He said that at 2,000 feet agl he released the glider from the tow plane and began to lose altitude instead of gaining altitude. He turned to the north, away from a ridge where a strong sink rate had been reported, and proceeded to the practice area. Shortly thereafter, he realized that strong southwesterly winds were creating a strong sink rate condition and he turned toward the airport. When it became apparent that he had insufficient altitude to reach the airport he elected to make an off field landing on a road in an abandoned sugar cane plantation. He believed that the surface winds were still from the northeast and landed on a heading of 080. During the landing rollout the left wing contacted a dirt berm; the glider turned 180 degrees from the initial landing direction and came to rest in a ditch. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector arrived on-scene to inspect the glider an hour later and noted that the winds were from the northwest. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N17914](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N17914), registered now, S/N 290, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS-2-33A - 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: 290 - Airframe hours: 2731 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Civil Air Patrol Hawaii Wing - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 22, 1998, 74 hours before - Departed: HDH ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; flight engineer, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 11,900 total, 9 in this make and model, 9,228 as pilot in command, 63 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 8 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HHI, 15 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 19991013042669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991013042669A), Oct 13, 1999: Scwzer SGS233A, Waialua, HI, Substantial damage. (.4)Prior to departure for a supervised solo instructional flight, the pilot had obtained weather information from local glider pilot's, and checking the… 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.