Scheibe Flugzeugbau BERGFALKE II-55 N5924

Summary

On 18 March 1995 at about 19:00 local time, a Scheibe Flugzeugbau BERGFALKE II-55 registered N5924, operated by Stradley, Roger, was involved in an accident near Bozeman, Montana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 March 1995 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bozeman, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Gallatin Field (BZN)

Coordinates

45.7701, -110.9301

Aircraft

Scheibe Flugzeugbau BERGFALKE II-55

Registration

N5924

Category

Glider

Operator

Stradley, Roger

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA95LA069

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE FROM THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RELIED ON THE ALTIMETER TO DETERMINE ELEVATION, EVEN THOUGH HE FELT THAT HE WAS LOW. WHILE TURNING BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS TOO LOW AND WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. DURING A LEFT TURN TO MANEUVER TO AN ACCESS ROAD, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE GLIDER SPUN AROUND BEFORE COMING TO REST. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT GET THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING FROM THE FSS BEFORE LANDING, AND NOTED THAT THE ALTIMETER READING WAS 170 FT HIGHER THAN FIELD ELEVATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.