# NTSB NYC97LA145: Slingsby T65A, N111XX, Bethel, PA, July 12, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 12, 1997, 16:35 local (20:35 UTC) - Place: Bethel, PA - Coordinates: 40.449974, -76.420402 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4500&lon=-76.4204&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report January 28, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39402 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC97LA145 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39402/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA145 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare. A factor in the accident was the pilot's fatigue. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - terrain condition - ground - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fatigue, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after about 4 hours of flight, he elected to land his glider at Bethel due to a lack of updrafts. He put the gear down and 'and began making preparations for landing. Upon reaching pattern altitude...I found myself in a nose down attitude, in what may have been a spin.' He recovered from the maneuver, but lost significant altitude in the process. He deployed the spoilers to land, and heard a warning alarm. Then the glider impacted the ground hard enough for the canopy to separate. After sitting for several minutes, the pilot exited the glider. The pilot later wrote that he felt 'heat stress and physical fatigue...from working thermals as conditions weakened. Earlier termination of flight would have been prudent.' ## Factual narrative On July 12, 1997, about 1635 Eastern Daylight Time, a Vickers-Slingsby T65A glider, N111XX, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Grimes Airfield (8N1), Bethel, Pennsylvania. The certificated flight instructor received minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Philadelphia Glider Council Airport (0PA0), Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that after about 4 hours of flight, he elected to land at Bethel due to a lack of updrafts. He put the gear down and "and began making preparations for landing. Upon reaching pattern altitude...I found myself in a nose down attitude, in what may have been a spin." He recovered from the maneuver, but lost significant altitude in the process. The pilot deployed the spoilers to land, and heard a warning alarm. Then the glider impacted the ground hard enough for the canopy to separate. After sitting for several minutes, the pilot exited the glider. In a statement, the pilot wrote that he felt "heat stress and physical fatigue...from working thermals as conditions weakened. Earlier termination of flight would have been prudent." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N111XX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N111XX-2002-08-26), registration cancelled 2002-08-26, S/N 1926, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Slingsby Aviation PLC T65A - Registry model: [Vickers-Slingsby T65A](https://openairdocs.org/model/vickers-slingsby-t65a) (registry code 9480104) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 1926 - Airframe hours: 499 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Louis J Fitzpatrick - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 1997, 55 hours before - Departed: 0PA0, PERKASIE, PA - Destination: 0PA0, PA - Airport: 8N1, Grimes Airport, runway 29, 2,825 × 180 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; flight instructor, commercial; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: center; flight hours: 248 total, 43 in this make and model, 213 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 8 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RDG, 17 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 19970712018109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970712018109A), Jul 12, 1997: Slnsby T65A, Bethel, PA, Substantial damage. Glider made forced landing in a field after pilot became dehydrated and disoriented. (.4) on July 12, 1997, about 1635 eastern daylight time, a… 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.