Dillingham Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dillingham, Hawaii 96825
Saturday, February 12, 1994 15:45 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

GROUND WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE GLIDER ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT A LOWER THAN NORMAL ALTITUDE AND APPEARED TO BE SLOW. THE GLIDER FLEW A NORMAL LENGTH DOWNWIND LEG AND, WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL, STALLED AND DRAGGED ONE WING TIP ON THE GROUND. THE GLIDER THEN CARTWHEELED INTO THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. THE GLIDER THEN PITCHED NOSE DOWN, ROLLED TO THE LEFT, AND IMPACTED ON THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin while maneuvering in the traffic pattern and his inadvertent entry into a stall/mush condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City DILLINGHAM
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96825
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HDH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 15
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 208
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3622Z
NTSB Number LAX94LA124
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 2-33-A
Aircraft Series Identifier 2-33-A
Aircraft Serial Number 575
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 97
Airframe Hours 6166
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOAR HAWAII, LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 266 POIPU DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HONOLULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96825
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOAR HAWAII, LTD.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 266 POIPU DRIVE
Operator City HONOLULU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96825
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --