- Date
- January 25, 1997, 13:02 local (18:02 UTC)
- Place
- Clermont, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N233HHSchweizer SGS-2-33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970125001549A
- Case key
- 38212
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 improper planning/decision by electing to be towed aloft with a cold front nearby, which resulted in an in-flight encounter with wind gusts from the nearby cold front and subsequent in-flight collision with trees.
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
The pilot elected to be towed aloft, as a cold front was approaching. While on final approach to land, the glider encountered a wind gust, which resulted in an uncommanded left bank and a 120-degree change in direction. The pilot recovered, then landed the glider in trees short of the runway. The gliderport owner stated that he was just about to cancel flight operations when the accident occurred.
Factual narrative
On January 25, 1997, about 1302 eastern standard time, a Schweizer SGS2-33A glider, N233HH, registered to Seminole Flying & Soaring, Inc., collided with trees while on final approach to land at the Seminole Lake Gliderport, Clermont, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The glider was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight was towed aloft about 1236 from the Seminole Lake Gliderport.
The pilot stated that there was a cold front approaching from the northwest about 3-4 miles away. While on final approach the glider entered an uncommanded left bank resulting in a 120-degree change in direction. He recovered then landed in trees short of the runway. According to the owner of the gliderport, he was just about to cancel flight operations about the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N233HH
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS-2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 77
- Airframe hours
- 2,955
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Seminole Flying & Soaring, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 15, 1997 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- 6FL0
- Airport
- 6FL0 · Seminole Lake Gliderport, runway 18, 3,000 × 200 ft, grass/turf
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
- 75
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 650 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCO, 28 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.