19970923028199A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 1-34 · Heber, UT · September 23, 1997

Date: September 23, 1997 · 15:45 local
Place: Heber, UT
Airport: Heber Valley Airport
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7636
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA360
Reported as: Scwzer SGS134
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 340 total5 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N7636Registration cancelled Jul 13, 2017 · Schweizer SGS 1-34S/N 16 · Built 1970 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-34 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

Overshot 7000FT runway landing. Struck a fence. Crosswind no help in slowing glider. (.4) according to the pilot, he 'entered the pattern on a 45 degree diagonal intercept to the downwind leg of a left-hand pattern approach to runway 21.' He stated that he used the spoilers on downwind, base, and final approach, but 'continued to float down the entire runway due to ground effect.' The glider's center wheel bounced on the runway 2 or 3 times before the aircraft overran the runway and impacted an embankment and fence. The pilot reported that 'it appears that the spoilers were not extended.' He stated 'it is possible that I was pulling on the spoiler engagement lever without depressing the button at the top of the lever which unlocks the spoilers.' The pilot reported to the investigator-in-charge that he has 340 hours of flight time in aircraft, of which 25 hours is in gliders. The pilot further reported that he has 53 flights in gliders.

As the FAA filed it

OVERSHOT 7000FT RUNWAY LANDING. STRUCK A FENCE. CROSSWIND NO HELP IN SLOWING GLIDER. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE 'ENTERED THE PATTERN ON A 45 DEGREE DIAGONAL INTERCEPT TO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF A LEFT-HAND PATTERN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 21.' HE STATED THAT HE USED THE SPOILERS ON DOWNWIND, BASE, AND FINAL APPROACH, BUT 'CONTINUED TO FLOAT DOWN THE ENTIRE RUNWAY DUE TO GROUND EFFECT.' THE GLIDER'S CENTER WHEEL BOUNCED ON THE RUNWAY 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED AN EMBANKMENT AND FENCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 'IT APPEARS THAT THE SPOILERS WERE NOT EXTENDED.' HE STATED 'IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I WAS PULLING ON THE SPOILER ENGAGEMENT LEVER WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BUTTON AT THE TOP OF THE LEVER WHICH UNLOCKS THE SPOILERS.' THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE THAT HE HAS 340 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN AIRCRAFT, OF WHICH 25 HOURS IS IN GLIDERS. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE HAS 53 FLIGHTS IN GLIDERS.

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 FTW97LA360Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHeber City, UTThe pilot's improper use of spoilers during the landing sequence. Factors were the embankment and the fence.Sep 23, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7636 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19830918050229ALevel Off Touchdown · Park City, UTOvershot planned landing on a golf course. Diverted to an open field. Dragged a wing landing. Glider ground looped.Sep 18, 1983 · Substantial damage