Slingsby 41-2 accident near Dansville, New York, June 2, 2000
On June 2, 2000 at about 6:22 pm local time, a Slingsby 41-2 (glider), registered N41SL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dansville, New York (Dansville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to retract the speed brakes which resulted in not obtaining the proper touch down point. A factor to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model glider.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2000 · about 6:22 pm local time
- Place
- Dansville, New York · Dansville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Slingsby 41-2
- Registration
- N41SL · no longer on the register · serial 948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot entered the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet above ground level, which was 200 feet higher than normal. The pilot attempted to lose the excess altitude by extending the air brakes, but the glider did not descend and he extended the downwind leg of the pattern. On final approach, with a 10-15 knot headwind, the pilot did not verify the position of the air brakes, and they remained extended. The glider landed short of the 4,000 foot runway and collided with the airport perimeter fence. The pilot reported a total of 62 total flight hours in gliders, of which 1.3 hours were in make and model. He also reported that he was used to flying another make and model glider with a lower glide ratio. He stated that the entire approach felt and looked different than what he was used to.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 44 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2000; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 679 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSV at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from BUF, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.