- Date
- October 9, 1988, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Methuen, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2737HSchweizer 1-35C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881009058779A
- Case key
- 36327
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
Pilot uncontrolled contact with a tree during a landing after the pilot failed to connect his aileron controls and accepted a tow to get airborne.
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 reported that he failed to connect his ailerons when he assembled the glider. He did not make a flight control check and accepted an aero tow to get airborne. After airborne, he discovered the mistake and stayed attached until 1500 feet at which time he released. He said turbulence caused the glider to enter a spiral and when he recovered, he was too low to make a field. He said he struck a tree on approach and flipped over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2737H
- Reported as
- Schweizer 1-35C
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 67
- Airframe hours
- 79
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John Gould
- Registered owner
- John J Gould
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 1987 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- Salem, MA
- Airport
- New England Gliderport, runway 32, 1,800 × 0 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 262 total · 43 in this make and model · 206 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.