The student pilot's misjudgment of his traffic pattern altitudes, which resulted in a premature descent into a tree.
— NTSB Determination
After practicing maneuvers at 5,000 feet, the student pilot returned to the airport. He entered the downwind leg at an altitude about 850 feet above the ground. He continued to descend, using airbrakes, until he realized he was too low, about 250 feet above the ground. He then tried to "cut the corners" of the traffic pattern in an attempt to make it to the runway; however, the glider's right wing impacted a tree.
After practicing maneuvers at 5,000 feet, the student pilot returned to the airport. He entered the downwind leg at an altitude about 850 feet above the ground. He continued to descend, using airbrakes, until he realized he was too low, about 250 feet above the ground. He then tried to "cut the corners" of the…
The accident on 2003-04-19 involved a Schweizer SGS 2-33A, registration N1241S, at Sterling, MA.
The student pilot's misjudgment of his traffic pattern altitudes, which resulted in a premature descent into a tree.
Loading the flight search…