Another glider crash?

Saratoga NY, news report here

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s391... dium=twitter

"Deputies say Szymanowski was coming in too fast. He tried landing twice, and on the third try, came up short."

What?

On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 3:13:54 PM UTC-6, Ron Gleason wrote:
Saratoga NY, news report here

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s391... dium=twitter

Wow, did they send the 7th grade Journalism class out to report on the accident?
From severed foot to cutting the cable to uncontrolled airspace. I don't what to write so I will just keep writing . . .

Sorry to hear of another accident. I agree the journalism left a bit to be desired "smashed face" ...

Hope for a speedy recovery.


On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 4:11:07 PM UTC-7, GeneReinecke wrote:
On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 3:13:54 PM UTC-6, Ron Gleason wrote:
Saratoga NY, news report here

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s391... dium=twitter

Wow, did they send the 7th grade Journalism class out to report on the accident?
From severed foot to cutting the cable to uncontrolled airspace. I don't what to write so I will just keep writing . . .

On 9/20/2015 3:45 PM, son_of_flubber wrote:
"Deputies say Szymanowski was coming in too fast. He tried landing twice,
and on the third try, came up short."

What?


Always distressing to learn of any glider crunch, particularly those involving
injury of any kind. May the pilot's outcome be the best possible given his
injuries, and best wishes to him, his family and friends.

Enough years have passed for me to have more experience than I'd like with
first-hand information related to stories (of all kinds) that have found their
way into printed news outlets, and I've yet to encounter one that has NOT had
at least one error in fact (as distinct from awkward phraseology); seems to be
the nature of the beast. (Remember that old children's game of "telephone?"
News reporting is its close cousin.)

Point being that all non-hoax-origin news stories have some relationship to
actual occurrences, and short of first-hand knowledge, the best one can do is
continually hone their "reading between the lines" skills while practicing
"critical thinking" when it comes to trying to decipher what may have actually
happened. I suppose one possible surmise as to what the above quote is trying
to convey might be that the pilot did two zoomies with insufficient energy to
complete the desired landing. But I'm not betting any Real Money on that guess...

Bob - all ears - W.

On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 9:00:24 PM UTC-5, BobW wrote:

Point being that all non-hoax-origin news stories have some relationship
to actual occurrences, and short of first-hand knowledge, the best one can do is continually hone their "reading between the lines" skills while
practicing "critical thinking" when it comes to trying to decipher what
may have actually happened. I suppose one possible surmise as to what the above quote is trying to convey might be that the pilot did two zoomies
with insufficient energy to complete the desired landing. But I'm not
betting any Real Money on that guess...

Bob - all ears - W.

My personal reading between the lines is that someone said it was his third flight of the day. And the reporter's need to sensationalize took over from there.

But, being half a continent away probably makes me more knowledgeable than the reporter!

All the best for as complete a recovery as possible.

Steve Leonard

On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 5:45:48 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
"Deputies say Szymanowski was coming in too fast. He tried landing twice, and on the third try, came up short."

What?

The pilot was flying an ASWW-19, which per my understanding has a gear handle located adjacent to the spoiler handle. Several witnesses on the ground watched the landing gear go up and down as the pilot over flew the entire length of the runway, turned around, and then overshoot the runway. Not sure if dehydration was an issue here? may never know? Thoughts and prayers with the pilot and his family.

Thanks for the added info, Tim.

I use to have little sympathy for those who grabbed the wrong handle and did not notice. Until I did it myself. Thoughts and prayers for the pilot, his family, partners, and all involved.

Steve Leonard

My friend who has an ASW-19 has a big, toothed hair clip (from his girlfreind) on his landing gear handle so he can instantly feel and see the difference.

On Monday, September 21, 2015 at 6:39:53 AM UTC-7, Tim Hanke wrote:
On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 5:45:48 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
"Deputies say Szymanowski was coming in too fast. He tried landing twice, and on the third try, came up short."

What?

The pilot was flying an ASWW-19, which per my understanding has a gear handle located adjacent to the spoiler handle. Several witnesses on the ground watched the landing gear go up and down as the pilot over flew the entire length of the runway, turned around, and then overshoot the runway. Not sure if dehydration was an issue here? may never know? Thoughts and prayers with the pilot and his family.

- Strange that someone that has been regularly flying the 19 made that mistake. The levers are clearly distinguishable - one goes from locked to unlocked position with a clear motion pattern and spoilers require just linear motion, plus both are pretty far apart.