Schweizer SGS 1 26E N2997H

Summary

On 19 October 2013 at about 17:30 local time, a Schweizer SGS 1 26E registered N2997H was involved in an accident near Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 October 2013 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Bandel (22D)

Coordinates

40.1306, -80.0961

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS 1 26E

Registration

N2997H

Category

Glider

Year built

1979

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eighty Four → Eighty Four

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14CA031

1 person was seriously injured.

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.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.