Schweizer
2-33 Glider C-GCLG
26
Sep 99
Iroquois Falls Ontario
The glider was being flown by the Arctic
Watershed Gliding Centre in support of the Air Cadet
Gliding Programme Fall Familiarization Session. The
site was using a winch to launch the glider to provide
familiarization and motivational flights for a group
of local Air Cadets. The pilot was a qualified Familiarisation
Glider Pilot who had already completed two flights without
incident immediately prior to the occurrence.
With the pilot in the front seat and the cadet in the
rear, the glider was once again launched and achieved
an altitude of 800-900 ft at cable release. After a
brief session of turns at altitude, the glider joined
left downwind for Runway 18. The pilot did not notice
that the wind at altitude had increased and proceeded
to fly his circuit using the same check altitudes and
ground references that had resulted in a successful
approach and landing only seven minutes earlier on his
previous flight. Once established on final he realised
that, although he had added 20 mph to his final approach
speed to compensate for the wind, he was barely making
any headway towards the runway. The glider was instead
descending towards trees just north of the airport boundary.
The pilot elected to fly the glider between the trees
and avoid stalling. The left wing struck a large pine
tree approximately 25 feet above the ground and the
glider came to rest on the ground with the left wing
folded under the fuselage and the right wing parallel
to and up against the trunk of another large pine tree.
The pilot and passenger were not injured and were able
to egress unassisted through the broken canopy.
The investigation determined that the pilot failed
to properly assess the wind aloft and to alter his circuit
accordingly, because his performance was impeded by
his relative inexperience and by fatigue related to
inadequate rest and nutrition before assuming his duties.
The pilot had slept 4.75 hours on each of the two preceding
nights due to civilian employment and had only consumed
an Instant Breakfast 5 hours before the accident. Neither
the Central Region Flying Orders nor the Air Cadet Gliding
Program Manual, in effect at the time of the accident,
included provisions to account for civilian employment
in the length of the duty day. As a result of this accident,
the Central Region Flying Orders now include limitations
for duty day and crew rest. These limitations include
both military and civilian work times in the calculation
of the duty day. The National Cadet Authority will review
these limitations with the aim of extending them to
all regions.
The winch in use at Iroquois Falls is of a unique design.
Being self-propelled, its engine is kept running constantly
except during rest and meal periods. This fact defies
the rule on rotating beacons as described in the A-CR-CCP-242,
which is that the rotating beacon must be illuminated
any time the ignition is on thereby warning personnel
on the site that a glider launch is about to take place.
If this winch were equipped with a rotating beacon,
in accordance with regulations, its constant operation
would desensitize personnel to the dangers for which
it was designed for. Therefore, the direction contained
in A-CR-CCP-242 with regards to the need for an amber
light will be clarified for non-standard winches. Winches
will be required to have a rotating beacon that will
indicate that the operator is about to launch a glider.
All aspects of the site's emergency response plan were
handled adequately. Unfortunately, this plan, and most
other region's plans, does not include any direction
as to the notification of the parents of cadets flying
as passengers after an accident. As these famil sessions
are being conducted with very young passengers, it is
understandable that some parents might become very upset
if not notified immediately of their child's involvement
in an air accident. As a result, all Gliding Sites Emergency
Response Plans will be reviewed by RCA Ops Os to ensure
they include provisions for the immediate notification
of the parents of children involved in an air accident.
As well, Regional Cadet Headquarters will be assigned
responsibility to follow up on the care of individuals
involved in accidents.
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