- Date
- June 15, 2008, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mercer, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5714SSchweizer S6S 2-33
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Allegheny FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080615834799A
- Case key
- 68234
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 private pilot's improper aircraft handling.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the instructional flight in the glider, a normal traffic pattern and normal approach were performed to runway 28. About 20 feet above the runway, the certified flight instructor instructed the private pilot to reduce the spoilers slightly and pull back on the stick. The private pilot then increased the spoiler application and moved the control stick forward. The glider immediately hit the runway in a nose-low attitude, bounced once, and slid to a stop down a slope next to the runway. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported with the glider.
Factual narrative
During the instructional flight in the Schweizer SGS 2-33 glider a normal traffic pattern and normal approach were performed to runway 28. About 20 feet above the runway, the CFI instructed the private pilot to reduce the spoilers slightly and pull back on the stick. The private pilot then increased the spoiler application and moved the control stick forward. The glider immediately hit the runway nose low, bounced once and slid to a stop down a slope, beside the runway. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported with the glider.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5714S
- Reported as
- Schweizer S6S 2-33
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 60
- Airframe hours
- 1,425
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Silent Wings Soaring, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2008
- Departed
- 29D · Mercer, PA
- Destination
- 29D · Mercer, PA
- Airport
- 29D · Grove City Airport, runway 28, 4,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Military, Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2008
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 26,000 total · 155 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 75 total · 33 in this make and model · 45 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- UCP, 13 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.