Schweizer SGS-2-32 N414LF

Summary

On 1 September 2005 at about 02:00 local time, a Schweizer SGS-2-32 registered N414LF, operated by Steven David Lowry, was involved in an accident near Waialua, Hawaii, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 September 2005 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Waialua, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Dillingham Airfield (PHDH)

Coordinates

21.5794, -158.1972

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS-2-32

Registration

N414LF

Category

Glider

Operator

Steven David Lowry

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waialua → Waialua

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05CA284

2 people were seriously injured.

the pilot's inadvertent spin entry while practicing a stall maneuver and his failure to regain control of the glider before impacting a lake.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the pilot's intentional stall maneuver, the glider inadvertently entered a spin from which he could not recover prior to impact with a lake. While in a left turn of approximately 15 to 20 degrees of bank, the pilot configured the glider into a stall in an effort to demonstrate the maneuver to the passenger. The glider stalled with both the nose and left wing dropping. Despite the pilot's attempts, the glider did not recover from the stall and subsequently entered a spin. Attempting to recover from the inadvertent spin, the pilot applied a full-forward stick input and full rudder deflection opposite the direction of rotation. The pilot's recovery efforts were unsuccessful and the glider impacted a lake. The fuselage floated long enough for the pilot and passenger to get out and swim to shore. The glider then sank in about 200 feet of water. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.