Binghamton Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Johnson City, New York 13790
Friday, May 21, 1993 16:37 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 2 PLACE GLIDER WAS TOWED ON A FLIGHT FROM ENDICOTT TO BINGHAMTON, NY. A PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING THE GLIDER AND AN INSTRUCTOR WAS ALONG AS AN INTENDED PASSENGER ON THIS FLIGHT. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE DESTINATION, THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED FROM BEING TOWED AND WAS MANEUVERED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 34. THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 34 WAS OVER RISING TERRAIN WITH A CLIFF SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED AN EXCESSIVE SINK RATE. SEEING THAT THE GLIDER WOULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR OPTED TO TAKE CONTROL. HE TURNED THE GLIDER TO AVOID RISING TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS, AND TRIED TO LAND IN A SUITABLE AREA. HOWEVER, BEFORE ROLLING OUT OF THE TURN, A WINGTIP CONTACTED TERRAIN AND THE GLIDER CRASH LANDED. DURING A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, THE SPOILERS WERE FOUND IN THE 'UP' POSITION, BUT THE INVESIGATION DID NOT VERIFY WHETHER THE SPOILERS WERE EXTENDED BEFORE OR AFTER IMPACT. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD ABOUT 247 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME (IN GLIDERS) AND THE OTHER PILOT HAD ABOUT 35 HOURS FLIGHT TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT CREW. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DOWNDRAFT ON FINAL APPROACH, THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS (CLIFF & OBSTRUCTIONS) NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE LACK OF RELATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR EACH OF THE PILOTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1637
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JOHNSON CITY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13790
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BINGHAMTON REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BGM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 160
Airport Elevation 1637
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1637 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID BGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1637
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 953
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17870
NTSB Number BFO93LA095
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 SGS-233A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-233A
Aircraft Serial Number 240
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 4 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 1300
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRIPLE CITIES SOARING SOCIETY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 7063
Aircraft Owner City ENDICOTT
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13760
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRIPLE CITIES SOARING SOCIETY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 7063
Operator City ENDICOTT
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 13760
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N17
Departure City ENDICOTT
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BGM
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --