Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Immokalee, Florida 34114
Sunday, January 15, 2006 14:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that the first part of the flight was uneventful. He returned to Immokalee Airport, and noted that given the direction of the winds, it would be safer for him to make an off airport landing in a nearby field. The pilot said that during the landing, the airplane clipped the top of pine trees, collided with wires, and then he landed the glider hard in the field. In addition, the pilot said that upon landing the field was rough and uneven, and as a result glider incurred substantial damage to its skid and tail-wheel area.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance during the final approach to land, which resulted in an impact with trees, and a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Immokalee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34114
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 262559N
Event Location Longitude 0812404W
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 1453 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID APF
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
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) 30.04
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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) 19579
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL Comm. Center
NTSB Notification Date Jan 16 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 1 2006 4:14PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5728S
NTSB Number MIA06CA045
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 Schewizer
Aircraft Model 233
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 72
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 Jul 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5330
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name High Soaring Inc.,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 160 13th Street NW
Aircraft Owner City Naples
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34120
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code IMM
Departure City Immokalee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code IMM
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --