# NTSB NYC00LA208: Schreder HP-11-A, N586A, Dansville, NY, July 22, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 22, 2000, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Dansville, NY
- Coordinates: 42.390506, -77.689277 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3905&lon=-77.6893&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 49798
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA208
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49798/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA208

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue the flight with an unfavorable wind.  A factor related to the accident was the loss of thermal lift.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Forced landing, maneuvering
  - weather condition - no thermal lift (contributing factor)
  - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind
- In flight collision with object, emergency landing
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

The glider was towed to 1,500 feet, and released.  The pilot flew 'some' circles looking for lift and found a 'weak' thermal at 200 feet.  The location of the thermal was west of a ridgeline that ran southwest.  The glider then climbed to 1,000 feet and began to drift from the winds aloft.  The pilot attempted to find lift off of the ridgeline, but only encountered sink.  The glider began to lose altitude and impacted trees.  The pilot reported a total flight experience of 2,177 hours, all in gliders.

## Factual narrative

On July 22, 2000, about 1200 Eastern Daylight Time, a homebuilt HP-11-A glider, N586A, was substantially damaged after impacting trees near Dansville, New York.  The certificated private pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, the glider was towed to 1,500 feet, and released.  The pilot flew "some" circles looking for lift and found a "weak' thermal at 200 feet.  The location of the thermal was west of a ridgeline that ran southwest, about 1 mile east of the Dansville Airport (DSV), Dansville, New York.  The glider climbed to 1,000 feet and began to drift from the winds aloft.  The pilot attempted to find lift off of the ridgeline, but only encountered sink.  The glider began to lose altitude and impacted trees about 2 miles east of DSV.

The pilot reported a total flight experience of 2,177 hours, all in gliders.

The pilot did not report any mechanical difficulties with the glider.

The DSV weather reported at 1154 was, winds from 290 degrees at 7 knots, scattered clouds at 4,600 feet, broken cloud layer at 6,000 feet, and a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N586A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N586A-2001-12-03), registration cancelled 2001-12-03, S/N 53, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Schreder HP-11-A
- Registry model: [Schreder HP-11-A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schreder-hp-11-a) (registry code 056035Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number: 53
- Airframe hours: 1617
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Harold J. Lyon
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, June 20, 2000, 70 hours before
- Departed: DSV
- Airport: DSV, Danville Airport

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 80; private; seat: front; flight hours: 2,177 total, 1,234 in this make and model, 16 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: DSV, 2 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 20000722012119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000722012119A), Jul 22, 2000: Amtr HP11A, Dansville, NY, No damage. (-23) On July 22, 2000, harold lyons was flying a glider and went beyond the mountain ridge looking for a thermal that would keep the aircraft in the air. 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.

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