NTSB Identification: ERA15LA367
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 19, 2015 in Saratoga Springs, NY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/26/2017
Aircraft: SCHLEICHER ASW 19B, registration: N27XX
Injuries: 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The private pilot was attempting to land the glider. A witness described the glider's initial approach to the runway as "high and fast" and noted that the landing gear and spoilers were retracted. He added that the glider flew about halfway down the runway, climbed, turned right, and banked steeply before making a left “teardrop” turn. The glider then flew down the runway in the opposite direction. The landing gear extended and retracted at least once during the turn. The glider made a second low pass over the runway at an “excessive” speed but did not land. The glider then entered another climb and made a very steep descending left turn, and the left wing struck the ground followed by the nose. Data extracted from a GPS found in the wreckage were consistent with the witness's observations. The pilot was seriously injured and could not remember the accident sequence of events.
Postaccident examination of te wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the glider.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain glider control while attempting to land.
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Syracuse, New York
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/N27XX
NTSB Identification: ERA15LA367
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 19, 2015 in Saratoga Springs, NY
Aircraft: SCHLEICHER ASW 19B, registration: N27XX
Injuries: 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 19, 2015, about 1409 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW 19B glider, N27XX, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while attempting to land at Saratoga County Airport (5B2), Saratoga, New York. The private pilot was seriously injured. The glider was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated at 5B2 about 1338.
A designated pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was at the airport and witnessed the accident. He stated that he first observed the glider when it was on final approach for runway 32. The glider was "high and fast," and the landing gear and spoilers were retracted. He said the glider flew about halfway down the runway, climbed, turned right. It then banked steeply, made a left "teardrop" turn, and flew down the runway in the opposite direction. The witness never saw the spoilers extend, but the landing gear did extend and retract at least once during the turn. The glider made a second low pass (below 100 ft) over the runway at an "excessive" speed, but did not land. The witness said the glider entered another climb, made a very steep left turn, and nearly missed colliding with a building. The glider descended while in the turn and the left wing struck the ground followed by the nose. The witness said, "To summarize, the glider basically flew from a starting altitude of less than 50 ft, made nearly two complete teardrop course reversals. The left wing struck the ground before completing the second. During this time, possibly as much as two minutes, the gear was extended and retracted at least once but I did not see the spoilers extend."
The pilot stated that he did not remember the accident flight.
Data contained in a FlyWithCE GPS found in the wreckage was consistent with the witness's statement. The data, which included latitude/longitude, altitude, and groundspeed, began recording at 1338:32 when the glider departed runway 32 and ended at 1409:10. After departure, the glider performed several turning maneuvers away from the airport before returning to land. When the airplane arrived back at the airport, it flew downwind for runway 32 before turning onto final approach. At 1407:53, at a groundspeed of 154 knots, the glider flew about halfway down runway 32, before making a right turn followed by a steep left turn back down the runway, but in the opposite direction. At 1408:53, at a groundspeed of 80 knots, the glider entered a descending left turn before the data ended at 1409:10.
Postaccident examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that glider cart-wheeled and came to rest on the right side of the final approach path of runway 32, resulting in extensive impact damage to the glider's wings and fuselage. The landing gear and spoilers were retracted. No mechanical deficiencies were noted that would have precluded normal operation of the glider prior to the accident.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and glider. The pilot reported a total of 310 hours of flight experience; of which 145 hours were in gliders, and 56 hours was in the same make/model as the accident glider. The pilot was not required to have an FAA-issued medical certificate to operate a glider.
Weather reported at Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York, at 1351, located about 18 miles south of 5B2, included wind from 170 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 17 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 11,000 ft, scattered clouds at 23,000 and 28,000 ft, temperature 27 degrees C, dewpoint 14 degrees C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 29.87 inches of mercury.
NTSB Identification: ERA15LA367
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 19, 2015 in Saratoga Springs, NY
Aircraft: SCHLEICHER ASW 19B, registration: N27XX
Injuries: 1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 19, 2015, about 1410 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW 19B glider, N27XX, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while attempting to land at the Saratoga County Airport (5B2), Saratoga, New York. The private pilot was seriously injured. The glider was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated at 5B2 at an unknown time.
A designated pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was at the airport and witnessed the accident. He stated that he first observed the glider when it was on final approach for runway 32. The glider was "high and fast," and the landing gear and spoilers were retracted. He said the glider flew about halfway down the runway, climbed, and made a steep right turn and attempted to land on the runway in the opposite direction. The witness never saw the spoilers extend, but the landing gear did extend and retract at least once during the turn. The glider made a second low pass (below 100 ft) over the runway at an "excessive" speed, but did not land. The witness said the glider entered another climb and made a very steep left turn and nearly missed a building. The glider descended while in the turn and the left wing struck the ground followed by the nose.
Initial examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that glider cartwheeled and came to rest on the right side of the final approach path of runway 32, which resulted in extensive impact damage to the glider's wings and fuselage. The landing gear and spoilers were retracted. The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Syracuse, New York
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/N27XX
NTSB Identification: ERA15LA367
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 19, 2015 in Saratoga Springs, NY
Aircraft: SCHLEICHER ASW 19B, registration: N27XX
Injuries: 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 19, 2015, about 1409 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW 19B glider, N27XX, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while attempting to land at Saratoga County Airport (5B2), Saratoga, New York. The private pilot was seriously injured. The glider was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated at 5B2 about 1338.
A designated pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was at the airport and witnessed the accident. He stated that he first observed the glider when it was on final approach for runway 32. The glider was "high and fast," and the landing gear and spoilers were retracted. He said the glider flew about halfway down the runway, climbed, turned right. It then banked steeply, made a left "teardrop" turn, and flew down the runway in the opposite direction. The witness never saw the spoilers extend, but the landing gear did extend and retract at least once during the turn. The glider made a second low pass (below 100 ft) over the runway at an "excessive" speed, but did not land. The witness said the glider entered another climb, made a very steep left turn, and nearly missed colliding with a building. The glider descended while in the turn and the left wing struck the ground followed by the nose. The witness said, "To summarize, the glider basically flew from a starting altitude of less than 50 ft, made nearly two complete teardrop course reversals. The left wing struck the ground before completing the second. During this time, possibly as much as two minutes, the gear was extended and retracted at least once but I did not see the spoilers extend."
The pilot stated that he did not remember the accident flight.
Data contained in a FlyWithCE GPS found in the wreckage was consistent with the witness's statement. The data, which included latitude/longitude, altitude, and groundspeed, began recording at 1338:32 when the glider departed runway 32 and ended at 1409:10. After departure, the glider performed several turning maneuvers away from the airport before returning to land. When the airplane arrived back at the airport, it flew downwind for runway 32 before turning onto final approach. At 1407:53, at a groundspeed of 154 knots, the glider flew about halfway down runway 32, before making a right turn followed by a steep left turn back down the runway, but in the opposite direction. At 1408:53, at a groundspeed of 80 knots, the glider entered a descending left turn before the data ended at 1409:10.
Postaccident examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that glider cart-wheeled and came to rest on the right side of the final approach path of runway 32, resulting in extensive impact damage to the glider's wings and fuselage. The landing gear and spoilers were retracted. No mechanical deficiencies were noted that would have precluded normal operation of the glider prior to the accident.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and glider. The pilot reported a total of 310 hours of flight experience; of which 145 hours were in gliders, and 56 hours was in the same make/model as the accident glider. The pilot was not required to have an FAA-issued medical certificate to operate a glider.
Weather reported at Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York, at 1351, located about 18 miles south of 5B2, included wind from 170 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 17 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 11,000 ft, scattered clouds at 23,000 and 28,000 ft, temperature 27 degrees C, dewpoint 14 degrees C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 29.87 inches of mercury.
NTSB Identification: ERA15LA367
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 19, 2015 in Saratoga Springs, NY
Aircraft: SCHLEICHER ASW 19B, registration: N27XX
Injuries: 1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 19, 2015, about 1410 eastern daylight time, a Schleicher ASW 19B glider, N27XX, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while attempting to land at the Saratoga County Airport (5B2), Saratoga, New York. The private pilot was seriously injured. The glider was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated at 5B2 at an unknown time.
A designated pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was at the airport and witnessed the accident. He stated that he first observed the glider when it was on final approach for runway 32. The glider was "high and fast," and the landing gear and spoilers were retracted. He said the glider flew about halfway down the runway, climbed, and made a steep right turn and attempted to land on the runway in the opposite direction. The witness never saw the spoilers extend, but the landing gear did extend and retract at least once during the turn. The glider made a second low pass (below 100 ft) over the runway at an "excessive" speed, but did not land. The witness said the glider entered another climb and made a very steep left turn and nearly missed a building. The glider descended while in the turn and the left wing struck the ground followed by the nose.
Initial examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that glider cartwheeled and came to rest on the right side of the final approach path of runway 32, which resulted in extensive impact damage to the glider's wings and fuselage. The landing gear and spoilers were retracted.
MILTON - A pilot came up short of the runway and slammed into the ground Saturday afternoon at the Saratoga County Airport.
He lost a foot in the crash, but is expected to survive.
The gliders don't have an engine. However, the ground is just as hard if you if you don't hit the runway.
A crumpled glider sits in the tall grass at the Saratoga County Airport. The engine-less aircraft cartwheeled after a bad landing just short of the runway around 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The pilot, Ryszard Szymanowski, 66, of East Greenbush was airlifted to Albany Medical Center with a smashed up face and a severed foot. He's expected to survive.
Sheriff’s deputies say Szymanowski was a well-known member of a glider club at the airport. It's a popular hobby here, more than a dozen of the aircraft sit outside a hangar.
Gliders, are towed by planes off the runway and into the sky. Then at a certain altitude, the cable is cut between the two and the pilot of the glider glides to the ground.
A lot of people come to the airport just to watch the engine-less aircraft.
Deputies say Szymanowski was coming in too fast. He tried landing twice, and on the third try, came up short.
The glider will sit in the grass until the National Traffic Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration can investigate.
The airport is uncontrolled airspace. That means pilots determine themselves if they can land or not. That means there were very few interruptions – if any – because of this crash.
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