Summary
On July 26, 2007, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (N33950) was involved in an accident near Warrensburg, MO. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and aircraft control, which resulted in a stall while on final approach. A factor in the accident were the two fences.
The glider was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an approach to land. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the glider was towed to 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL) before releasing from the tow plane, after which soaring maneuvers and turns were performed. The glider then entered the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet AGL. When the glider turned to the base leg, the CFI noticed that it was "above glide path" and he performed 360 degree turns to lose altitude and "give time for second glider to launch." The CFI stated that while on final approach the glider rolled "abruptly" to the right at approximately 80 degrees of bank and began to descend. The CFI recovered just above the ground and then noticed that the glider was heading toward a fence line.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI07CA232. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N33950.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and aircraft control, which resulted in a stall while on final approach. A factor in the accident were the two fences.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The glider was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an approach to land. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the glider was towed to 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL) before releasing from the tow plane, after which soaring maneuvers and turns were performed. The glider then entered the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet AGL. When the glider turned to the base leg, the CFI noticed that it was "above glide path" and he performed 360 degree turns to lose altitude and "give time for second glider to launch." The CFI stated that while on final approach the glider rolled "abruptly" to the right at approximately 80 degrees of bank and began to descend. The CFI recovered just above the ground and then noticed that the glider was heading toward a fence line. The glider was able to climb over the fence and began a turn toward the airport. The pilot reported that the glider "stalled" and impacted terrain as he attempted to maneuver the glider over a second fence line.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI07CA232