MORRISVILLE, VT, USA
N1178S
SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, HE WAS SOARING OVER THE MOUNTAINS. HE STATED THAT HE WAS GAINING AND LOSING ABOUT 200 FEET OF ALTITUDE AS THE GLIDER SOARED OVER THE RIDGE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH; HOWEVER, ON THE LAST TRAVERSE THE GLIDER LOST LIFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE HIGH TERRAIN AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD MORE EXPERIENCE IN MOUNTAIN SOARING.
On Sunday, November 7, 1993, at 1200 eastern standard time, N1178S, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A glider, owned by Peter Smyth of Morrisville, Vermont, and piloted by Allan Edwards collided with a ridge 3 miles east of the Morrisville-Stow Airport, Morrisville, Vermont. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The local, instructional flight originated in Morrisville, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The pilot said he was soaring over the mountain, heading north to south and gaining and losing about 200 feet of altitude as he soared. The student pilot reported that, "on the last traverse I lost lift over a shelf and within a few seconds was down...but there was insufficient lift or momentum to turn away from the mountain." The glider collided with trees on the side of the ridge. The student pilot stated that there was no mechanical malfunction and the accident could have been prevented if he had more experience in mountain soaring.
THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN SOARING WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE RIDGE AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE HIGH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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