19970320010209A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 1-26E · Benton, TN · March 20, 1997

Date: March 20, 1997 · 14:30 local
Place: Benton, TN
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N33WP
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA97LA101
Reported as: Scwzer SGS126E
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 397 total95 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N33WPRegistration cancelled Sep 29, 2014 · Schweizer SGS 1-26ES/N 638 · Built 1975 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-26E Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Thermaling over ridge. Began return to airport got downdraft. Wing hit tree. Descended into trees. (-23) the pilot had been making passes back and forth along a ridge line for about 40 minutes. As he turned back toward the valley and gliderport he encountered sinking air and the glider descended into the trees.

As the FAA filed it

THERMALING OVER RIDGE. BEGAN RETURN TO AIRPORT GOT DOWNDRAFT. WING HIT TREE. DESCENDED INTO TREES. (-23) THE PILOT HAD BEEN MAKING PASSES BACK AND FORTH ALONG A RIDGE LINE FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. AS HE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE VALLEY AND GLIDERPORT HE ENCOUNTERED SINKING AIR AND THE GLIDER DESCENDED INTO THE TREES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA97LA101Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBenton, TNThe failure of the pilot to maintain altitude and clearance from the trees on a ridge line.Mar 20, 1997 · Substantial damage