- Date
- August 3, 2008, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Windsor, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N33964Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080803843099A
- Case key
- 68589
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 student pilot's improper maneuvering at low altitude.
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
The student pilot of the Schweizer SGS 2-33A glider departed from the airport under tow, and released from the towrope at an altitude of 3,000 feet. He then maneuvered the glider to the right and flew around the airport "looking for lift." Over the next 30 minutes, the glider's altitude varied between 1,700 feet and 2,800 feet. When the glider started to lose lift, the pilot decided to return to the airport. The glider continued to lose lift and the student pilot entered the traffic pattern on the crosswind leg. As the student pilot turned onto final, he maneuvered the glider left of the runway centerline to avoid activity on the right side of the runway. While maneuvering, he "overreacted" and turned too far to the left and ended up over a cornfield. He attempted to turn back to the runway, but was "too low and slow." The glider impacted the cornfield, substantially damaging the fuselage. The student pilot reported 13 total hours of flight experience, 1 of which was in make and model. He also reported no mechanical anomalies with the glider.
Factual narrative
The student pilot of the Schweizer SGS 2-33A glider departed from the airport under tow, and released from the towrope at an altitude of 3,000 feet. He then maneuvered the glider to the right and flew around the airport "looking for lift." Over the next 30 minutes, the glider's altitude varied between 1,700 feet and 2,800 feet. When the glider started to lose lift, the pilot decided to return to the airport. The glider continued to lose lift and the student pilot entered the traffic pattern on the crosswind leg. As the student pilot turned onto final, he maneuvered the glider left of the runway centerline to avoid activity on the right side of the runway. While maneuvering, he "overreacted" and turned too far to the left and ended up over a cornfield. He attempted to turn back to the runway, but was "too low and slow." The glider impacted the cornfield, substantially damaging the fuselage. The student pilot reported 13 total hours of flight experience, 1 of which was in make and model. He also reported no mechanical anomalies with the glider.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33964
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 367
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tidewater Soaring Society
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 3VA8 · Windsor, VA
- Destination
- 3VA8 · Windsor, VA
- Airport
- 3VA8 · Garner Airport, runway 020, 2,600 × 50 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 13 total · 13 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- SFQ, 11 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.
Other investigations on N33964 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.