Great Barrington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts 01230
Saturday, July 21, 1990 12:29 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE WITH A PRIVATE PILOT ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FRONT AND A CFI IN THE REAR SEAT. THE CFI SAID HIS PURPOSE WAS TO OBSERVE PILOTING TECHNIQUE AND JUDGEMENT WITH NO FORMAL INSTRUCTION PLANNED. THE PRIVATE PILOT TOOK THE GLIDER BEYOND GLIDING DISTANCE TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND ALTHOUGH THE CFI SAID HE PROTESTED THE PILOT'S ACTION, HE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. WITH THE PRIVATE PILOT STILL ON THE CONTROLS, THE GLIDER WAS SET UP FOR A PRECAUTIONARY OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD AND ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF SINK. THE GLIDER STRUCK A TREE, SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GROUND NOSE FIRST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM TREE DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTOR WAS A LOSS OF THERMAL LIFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1229
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GT. BARRINGTON
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01230
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GREAT BARRINGTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GBR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 739
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1378
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1326
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42689
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2724H
NTSB Number NYC90LA168
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-2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-2-33A
Aircraft Serial Number 504
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 May 24 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 1841
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NUTMEG SOARING ASSOCIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 585
Aircraft Owner City BATSFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06404
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GBR
Departure City GRT BARRINGTON
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --