Rolladen-Schneider LSIF SAILPLANE accident near Mayville, New York, May 28, 1990
On May 28, 1990 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LSIF SAILPLANE (glider), registered N17EW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mayville, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
JAMMED FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FLIGHT DUE TO A BENT AILERON PUSH-ROD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1990 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Mayville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LSIF SAILPLANE LSIF SAILP
- Registration
- N17EW · no longer on the register · serial 448
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR OVER TWO HOURS AND WAS MANEUVERED IN A LEFT TURN, IN A THERMAL WITH SOME TURBULENCE WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WENT FULL LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE STICK FREE AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. HE JETTISONED THE CANOPY, EXITED THE GLIDER, AND DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING ITS UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. POST CRASH EXAMINATION BY THE FAA DISCLOSED THE AILERON PUSH ROD ON THE LEFT WING WAS BENT IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THIS OCCURRED DURING DISASSEMBLY WHEN THE WINGS WERE REMOVED FOR STORAGE ON A TRAILER. THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING WAS ALLOWED TO DROP, WHICH BENT THE PUSH ROD UPWARD. WHEN THE CONTROL STICK WAS MOVED TO FULL LEFT, THE RIVET ON TOP OF THE AILERON PUSH ROD MADE CONTACT WITH THE COLLAR AROUND THE AILERON PUSH ROD AND THE AILERON CONTROL JAMMED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,442 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,320 as pilot in command; 171 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 413 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1990; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from JHW
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.