# NTSB NYC97LA108: Schweizer SGS 135, N17976, Pepperell, MA, June 8, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 8, 1997, 16:05 local (20:05 UTC) - Place: Pepperell, MA - Location: 42.6748° N, 71.5922° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pepperell, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6748&lon=-71.5922&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 10, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39369 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC97LA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39369/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA108 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a turn, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent into water. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis After 30 minutes of flying on a local flight, the pilot/owner of the glider entered a left traffic pattern for landing on runway 24 at the departure airport. The pilot determined that she was too high on final approach, and initiated a 360-degree turn to lose altitude. The pilot stated that during the turn to final, the left wing of the glider stalled. This induced a spin to the left at 300 feet, and the glider descended into a river. Winds at an airport 6 miles northeast were reported from 150 degrees at 10 knots. ## Factual narrative On June 8, 1997, about 1605 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 135, a glider, N17976, was substantially damaged during an uncontrolled descent into a river, while maneuvering on final approach to the Pepperell Airport (MA09), Pepperell, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at MA09, about 1530. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that she had intended to fly a local flight and return to MA09. After 30 minutes of flying, she entered a left traffic pattern for landing on runway 24, at MA09. She further stated: "...I was high on my turn to final, I assessed traffic, and proceeded to complete a 360 [degree] turn to lose excess altitude. As I turned onto final, the second time, the left wing of the glider stalled and induced a spin to the left from about 300 ft. AGL. The glider crashed into the Nashua River..." The winds at an airport, 6 miles northeast of MA09, were reported from 150 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot had accumulated 109 hours of total flying experience, of which 70 hours were as pilot in command, and 3 1/2 hours in make and model. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N17976](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N17976-2000-08-29), registration cancelled 2000-08-29, S/N 4 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS 135 - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-35](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-35) (registry code 8050148) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 4 - Airframe hours: 942 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Nancy J. Peterson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 23, 1997, 4 hours before - Departed: MA09, MA - Airport: MA09, Pepperell, runway 24, 2,820 × 25 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; private; seat: left; flight hours: 109 total, 4 in this make and model, 70 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ASH, 6 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 19970608013509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970608013509A), Jun 8, 1997: Scwzer SGS135, Pepperell, MA, Substantial damage. Sailplane too high on final approach, attempted a 360 degree turn, went into a stall spin, crashed. (-23) on 06/08/97 @1805 EDT, N17976, a Schweizer sgs 135,… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.