- Date
- August 31, 2005, 16:00 local (Sep 1, 2005, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Waialua, HI
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N414LFSchweizer SGS-2-32
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050831026379A
- Case key
- 62376
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 inadvertent spin entry while practicing a stall maneuver and his failure to regain control of the glider before impacting a lake.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the pilot's intentional stall maneuver, the glider inadvertently entered a spin from which he could not recover prior to impact with a lake. While in a left turn of approximately 15 to 20 degrees of bank, the pilot configured the glider into a stall in an effort to demonstrate the maneuver to the passenger. The glider stalled with both the nose and left wing dropping. Despite the pilot's attempts, the glider did not recover from the stall and subsequently entered a spin. Attempting to recover from the inadvertent spin, the pilot applied a full-forward stick input and full rudder deflection opposite the direction of rotation. The pilot's recovery efforts were unsuccessful and the glider impacted a lake. The fuselage floated long enough for the pilot and passenger to get out and swim to shore. The glider then sank in about 200 feet of water. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N414LF
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS-2-32
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 095
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steven David Lowry, doing business as Aeroflight International LLC
- Registered owner
- Northshore Aircraft Leasing Co LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HDH · Waialua, HI
- Destination
- HDH · Waialua, HI
- Airport
- PHDH · Dillingham Airfield
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
- 70
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 45 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N414LF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.