Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beloit, Wisconsin 53511
Saturday, May 21, 2005 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The glider, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain during approach to a runway. The pilot misjudged the slip, the proper glidepath, and the glider impacted a tree.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude which resulted in an undershoot of the runway and collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Beloit
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53511
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 422952N
Event Location Longitude 0885803W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID JVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KJVL 211945Z 19007KT 10SM SCT130 OVC180 21/07 A300
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18203
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 21 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Milwaukee, WI, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65855
NTSB Number CHI05CA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Serial Number 345
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Oct 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 5974
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sylvania Soaring Adventures Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4046 East State Road 67
Aircraft Owner City Beloit
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53511
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 44C
Departure City Beloit
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 44C
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 21 2005 5:27PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --