Dansville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dansville, New York 14442
Friday, June 2, 2000 14:22 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot entered the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet above ground level, which was 200 feet higher than normal. The pilot attempted to lose the excess altitude by extending the air brakes, but the glider did not descend and he extended the downwind leg of the pattern. On final approach, with a 10-15 knot headwind, the pilot did not verify the position of the air brakes, and they remained extended. The glider landed short of the 4,000 foot runway and collided with the airport perimeter fence. The pilot reported a total of 62 total flight hours in gliders, of which 1.3 hours were in make and model. He also reported that he was used to flying another make and model glider with a lower glide ratio. He stated that the entire approach felt and looked different than what he was used to.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to retract the speed brakes which resulted in not obtaining the proper touch down point. A factor to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model glider.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1422
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DANSVILLE
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14442
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport DANSVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DSV
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 662
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID BUF
Elevation of weather observation facility 724
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10420
NTSB Notification Source Rochester FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41SL
NTSB Number IAD00LA051
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 Slingsby
Aircraft Model 41-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 41-2
Aircraft Serial Number 948
Certified Max Gross Weight 679
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 May 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2120
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATRICK MCCABE
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City CALEDONIA
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14423
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 DSV
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Mar 8 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --