# Accident 19970320010209A: Scwzer SGS126E, Benton, TN, March 20, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 20, 1997, 14:30 local time
- Place: Benton, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1708° N, 84.6508° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1708&lon=-84.6508&mi=10
- Aircraft: N33WP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N33WP-2014-09-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer SGS 1-26E (registry code 8050124, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-26e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCWZER SGS126E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 397 total, 95 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA101) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970320010209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA101), Mar 20, 1997: Schweizer SGS 1-26E (N33WP), Benton, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain altitude and clearance from the trees on a ridge line.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.