- Date
- January 28, 2012, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Peoria, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N17873Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Glider tow event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 2, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120128000729A
- Case key
- 82771
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 glider pilot released from the tow airplane at a lower altitude than the planned altitude, which resulted in an off-airport landing.
Findings · 2
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 glider pilot stated that he set the altimeter to the field elevation of 1,600 feet mean sea level (msl) before takeoff. He planned to have the glider towed to 4,000 feet above ground level (agl), which would be 5,600 feet msl, then to release the tow line. During the tow, the pilot released from the tow plane when the altimeter read 4,000 feet (which was 2,400 feet agl). During the return glide back to the airport in a headwind, he realized he was too low to make it to the airport and executed a landing 2 miles short of the runway into desert terrain. On final approach for landing, the pilot maneuvered the glider to avoid a canal. The glider landed hard, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that he mistakenly released from the tow at 4,000 feet msl, when he should have released at 4,000 feet agl. He also stated that the glider had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
The glider pilot stated that he set the altimeter to the field elevation of 1,600 feet mean sea level (msl) before takeoff. He planned on having the glider towed to 4,000 feet above ground level (agl), which would be 5,600 feet msl, then release the tow line. During the tow, the pilot released from the tow plane when the altimeter read 4,000 feet. During the return glide back to the airport in a headwind he realized he was too low to make it to the airport and executed a forced landing 2 miles short of the runway into desert terrain. The pilot stated that he mistakenly released from the tow at 4,000 feet msl, when he should have released at 4,000 feet agl. He also stated that the glider had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17873
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 243
- Airframe hours
- 2,217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pleasant Valley Soaring LLC
- Registered owner
- Pleasant Valley Soaring LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 2, 2011
- Departed
- KP48 · Peoria, AZ
- Destination
- KP48 · Peoria, AZ
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KP$* · Pleasant Valley Airport
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
- 72
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 22, 2011
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 11,658 total · 151 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KDVT, 12 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 2, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.