# Accident 19970724045749A: Schler ASW20F, Minden, NV, July 24, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 24, 1997, 17:08 local time
- Place: Minden, NV
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0105° N, 119.7509° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0105&lon=-119.7509&mi=10
- Aircraft: N120MJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N120MJ-2011-07-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Centrair ASW20F (registry code 1990201, https://openairdocs.org/model/centrair-asw20f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHLER ASW20F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,702 total, 1,015 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA258) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970724045749A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JULY 24, 1997, AT 1708 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CENTRAIR ASW20F GLIDER, N120MJ, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTH OF THE MINDEN, NEVADA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND WAS PARTICIPATING IN A RACE COMPETITION EVENT.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, INCURRED SERIOUS INJURIES.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MINDEN ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AT 1332 FOR THE CLOSED CIRCUIT TIME OVER DISTANCE COMPETITION. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID THAT AS HE WAS RETURNING TO MINDEN HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS, AND CONCLUDED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SAFELY REACH THE AIRPORT.  HE SELECTED A FIELD, AND, AS HE GOT CLOSER, REALIZED THAT HE HAD TOO MUCH ENERGY FOR A STRAIGHT-IN AND NOT ENOUGH FOR A PATTERN.  THE PILOT SAID HE THEN DEPLOYED SOME DRAG DEVICES AND BEGAN MAKING S-TURNS.  THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND TOUCHED DOWN HARD WITH A VERY HIGH SINK RATE.  GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT VERY GUSTY WINDS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING. AN FA A AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE GLIDER AND NOTED THAT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. (.4) THE PILOT OF A GLIDER SAID THAT AS HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS, AND CONCLUDED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SAFELY REACH THE RUNWAY. HE SELECTED A FIELD, AND AS HE GOT CLOSER, REALIZED THAT HE HAD TOO MUCH ENERGY FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH AND NOT ENOUGH FOR A PATTERN. THE PILOT SAID HE THEN DEPLOYED SOME DRAG DEVICES AND BEGAN MAKING S-TURNS. REPORTEDLY, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND TOUCHED DOWN HARD WITH A VERY HIGH SINK RATE. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT VERY GUSTY WINDS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE GLIDER AND NOTED THAT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND.

## 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 LAX97LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA258), Jul 25, 1997: Centrair ASW20F (N120MJ), Minden, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper planning/decision and subsequent encounter with gusty winds and strong downdrafts, which precluded reaching the airport and induced an unrecoverable high sink rate during an…

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.

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