Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Vansant Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Erwinna, Pennsylvania 18920
Sunday, August 4, 2013 11:23 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a local solo flight, the student pilot planned to land the glider on runway 23. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the glider was “high at the key”. Abeam the end of the runway he was still “a little high” so he elected to deploy the wing spoilers. Then while turning on to the base leg of the traffic pattern he was still high, so he decided to crab into the wind and slip the glider. While on base prior to turning final he noticed that the “wind had picked up and it slowed the glider down.” Turning final he noticed “it was going to be close” and had contemplated changing to runway 25; however, he thought the glider would make it to runway 23. The glider impacted a tree about 25 feet above ground level with the left wing and came to rest short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the glider revealed that the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's improper altitude and energy management in the landing pattern which resulted in the glider impacting a tree and landing short of the runway.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/4/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1123 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Erwinna |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 18920 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 402903N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0750558W |
| Event Location Airport | Vansant Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 9N1 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 390 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1154 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DYL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 394 |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| 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) | 29.93 |
| 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) | 31990 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROCC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2013 3:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1211S |
| NTSB Number | ERA13CA352 |
| 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 | 208 |
| 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 | May 17 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4616 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SOARING TIGERS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PRINCETON |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 08542-1422 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Donald V. Feeley |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Southampton |
| Operator State | NJ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 08088 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 9N1 |
| Departure City | Erwinna |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1110 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 9N1 |
| Destination City | Erwinna |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2013 3:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 1340 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |