Glider Crash in Shirley, NY

Sad news here. Does anyone have any info on this fatal crash? The info I have read says it was a Schweizer 2-32.
Thanks - Renny

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP3ee4...ogle news_wsj

On Wednesday, May 1, 2013 12:02:47 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Sad news here. Does anyone have any info on this fatal crash? The info I have read says it was a Schweizer 2-32.

Thanks - Renny



http://online.wsj.com/article/AP3ee4...ogle news_wsj

More he

http://www.longisland.com/news/04-30...stigation.html

On Thursday, May 2, 2013 9:20:52 AM UTC-6, wrote:
On Wednesday, May 1, 2013 12:02:47 AM UTC-4, wrote:

Sad news here. Does anyone have any info on this fatal crash? The info I have read says it was a Schweizer 2-32.



Thanks - Renny







http://online.wsj.com/article/AP3ee4...ogle news_wsj



More he



http://www.longisland.com/news/04-30...stigation.html

The preliminary NTSB report has been released.

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/br...27X24846&key=1

I'm so sorry for the loss to family and friends.

It appears that another SGS 2-32 spins in? This Schweizer is pretty unforgiving...

Boggs

On Friday, May 3, 2013 8:21:53 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:

It appears that another SGS 2-32 spins in? This Schweizer is pretty unforgiving...

Only if your training was in 2-33s and didn't include spin training. The 2-32 will spin, but it gives you a little warning (not much), and recovers nicely once it departs. Kinda like a T-6, considered one of the best trainers ever built.

Sad that we keep rediscovering our training flaws, assuming this was a spin-in. Which of course, it may not have been.

Sad, regardless.

Kirk
66

Hand held radio, if unsecured can be a factor.

On Friday, May 3, 2013 11:03:29 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
On Friday, May 3, 2013 8:21:53 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:

recovers nicely once it departs.

Agreed but the 32s I've flown required positive forceful control inputs to initiate recovery. Virtually every other glider I've flown will begin to recover merely by relaxing back pressure and applying a touch of opposite rudder. The 32 is one of my favorite machines to fly but it's spin characteristics and recovery are somewhat unique. Whatever the causal factors in this accident it's terrible to lose yet another of our comrades.

I have only had a couple flights in a 2-32. My instructor specifically warned me about the spoilers (dive brakes). Unlike spoilers on most modern gliders, these things actually do brake or slow down the airspeed when applied. It takes a conscious effort to maintain proper airspeed when using the spoilers on approach. My instructor also warned me about the tendency of the 2-32 to drop a wing and spin when pushed beyond its limits. The impression I got was that while it seems easy to fly, the 2-32 is not forgiving.

As part of an aerobatics course, we used a 2-32 for all the spin training and really wrung it out trying all kinds of things to screw it up and recover. The 2-32 does do some weird things. For example, if you put the control inputs in to recover in the wrong order, it may not recover. You have to go back to the full spin position (rudder in direction of spin and stick full back) and start over. Sometimes the spin would stop and it would immediately spin the other way. In training we could get quite a few turns in, trying to accelerate the spin, slow it down, mess it up on purpose and recover, but we had plenty of height to work with. I've had flights where the instructor would just say, " that was interesting, never saw it do that before." One experienced instructor (now and aerobatics instructor) referred to a spin in a 2-32 as a "come to Jesus" moment. Anyone wanting to really learn all about spins should get some specialized training in a 2-32 before the last of them is unfortunately destroyed and people flying them recreationally should make sure they are truly proficient and comfortable with spins. There's a reason NASA bought one and outfitted it with equipment to try to better understand what happens in a spin.