Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Wurtsboro - Sullivan County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wurstboro, New York 12790
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 15:44 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the glider was receiving a biennial flight review from a flight instructor. They completed two uneventful flights prior to the accident flight. According the flight instructor, during the third flight, with the pilot under evaluation at the controls, the glider was approximately 500 feet above the ground, 2,000 feet from the end of the turf runway, and slightly slow in the flight instructor's judgment. To correct for the airspeed deficiency, the flight instructor manipulated the flight controls forward and told the pilot to increase the airspeed due to the strong headwind. According to the pilot, the airspeed varied 15 mph during the approach and the glider was descending fast, when he relinquished control of the glider to the flight instructor. The flight instructor stated that he did not assume control of glider, which was abnormally low but still within a good safety margin to land, in his judgment. About 200 feet above ground level, the glider encountered a downdraft for approximately four seconds. Then, when the glider was 75 feet above ground level, it banked violently to the right. The glider impacted trees, a berm, and a guard rail resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The flight instructor further stated that he never had any doubt that the pilot was in control of the glider, while the pilot under evaluation asserted the instructor stated he had control after the plane began a rapid descent on final approach. Both pilots reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the glider. The wind reported at an airport 10 miles to the southeast of the accident location was from 220 degrees 14 knots gusting to 21 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flying pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision while landing with a gusting wind. Contributing to the accident was the lack of communication between the flight instructor and pilot under evaluation regarding who was manipulating the controls.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/1/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1544 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wurstboro |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 12790 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 413529N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0742718W |
| Event Location Airport | Wurtsboro - Sullivan County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | N82 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 560 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MGJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 364 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 21 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28602 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 11 2011 9:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | andj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2656H |
| NTSB Number | ERA11CA323 |
| 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 | SCHWEIZER |
| Aircraft Model | SGS 2-33A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 436 |
| 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 | Aug 17 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5259 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Waco Transport Buisiness Trust |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1040 |
| Aircraft Owner City | BLOOMINGBURG |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 12721-1040 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Wurstboro Flight Management |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Wurstboro |
| Operator State | NY |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | N82 |
| Departure City | Wurstboro |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | N82 |
| Destination City | Wurstboro |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 24 2011 11:38AM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 3592 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |