Summary
On October 19, 2013, a Schweizer SGS 1 26E (N2997H) was involved in an accident near Eighty Four, PA. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed and glide path, which resulted in an overshoot, a hard landing, and a subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model.
The pilot was conducting his second solo flight in the glider. Witnesses reported that the glider appeared fast while maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing. The pilot stated that the glider was high on final approach and he lowered the nose and attempted a slip maneuver; however, the glider touched down hard, beyond the mid-point of the 2,260 foot-long runway. It then bounced, became airborne, and was still flying too fast to land on the remaining runway. In an attempt to avoid obstacles that were located beyond the end and right side of the runway, the pilot maneuvered to the left and the glider subsequently impacted trees. The right wing separated and the left wing was substantially damaged.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA14CA031. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2997H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed and glide path, which resulted in an overshoot, a hard landing, and a subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot was conducting his second solo flight in the glider. Witnesses reported that the glider appeared fast while maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing. The pilot stated that the glider was high on final approach and he lowered the nose and attempted a slip maneuver; however, the glider touched down hard, beyond the mid-point of the 2,260 foot-long runway. It then bounced, became airborne, and was still flying too fast to land on the remaining runway. In an attempt to avoid obstacles that were located beyond the end and right side of the runway, the pilot maneuvered to the left and the glider subsequently impacted trees. The right wing separated and the left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the glider. He further reported that he had accumulated about 530 hours of total flight experience, which included about 18 hours in gliders, and .5 hours in the same make and model as the accident glider.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA14CA031