Schweizer SGS 2-32 N9857E

Summary

On 27 April 2013 at about 15:30 local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-32 registered N9857E, operated by Long Island Soaring Assoc Inc, was involved in an accident near Shirley, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 April 2013 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Shirley, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Brookhaven Airport (HWV)

Coordinates

40.8094, -72.8547

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS 2-32

Registration

N9857E

Category

Glider

Operator

Long Island Soaring Assoc Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shirley → Shirley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13FA215

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during final approach, which resulted in a stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s likely impairment due to an over-the-counter sedating antihistamine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Immediately following an uneventful checkout flight, the glider was towed and released for the pilot's solo flight. According to the pilot's flight instructor, the solo flight appeared normal during final approach to about 250 feet above ground level, then the glider's left wing dropped, consistent with a stall, and the glider subsequently descended to the ground. The tow pilot indicated that he observed that the glider's dive brakes were half-deployed, which was "normal." Although the pilot had a documented history of hypertension, the autopsy reported no evidence indicating that he had a heart attack during the accident flight. Toxicological testing revealed therapeutic levels of diphenhydramine, consistent with the pilot taking the medication about 2 to 3 hours before the accident. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine and could have impaired the pilot's cognitive and psychomotor performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.