Old Orchard Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Modena, New York 12548
Saturday, June 28, 2008 9:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to a witness, the glider was about 300 feet agl, on final approach to land, when the pilot deployed the wing spoilers. The glider descended below the tree line and then impacted trees and came to rest. Examination of the glider by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that there was no pre-crash aircraft structure or flight control anomalies found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper use of wing spoilers on final approach and his misjudged distance/altitude resulting in the glider colliding with trees short of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 955
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Modena
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12548
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413927N
Event Location Longitude 0740438W
Event Location Airport Old Orchard Airpark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2NK9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 180
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 102
Weather Observation Facility ID KPOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.84
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24451
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2009 10:14AM
User who most recently changed record grol
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA Albany FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1870R
NTSB Number MIA08LA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AMS Flight
Aircraft Model APIS-M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number A023KM
Certified Max Gross Weight 400
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jack Lurowist
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hopewell Junction
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12533
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 USA
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 --
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 2NK9
Departure City Modena
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 955
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 USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 14 2008 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --