19971018031459A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 1-26D · Peoria, AZ · October 18, 1997

Date: October 18, 1997 · 12:05 local
Place: Peoria, AZ
Airport: Turf Soaring School
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7583
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98LA017
Reported as: Scwzer SGS126D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 150 total15 in this make and model

N7583Registered now · Schweizer SGS 1-26DS/N 475 · Built 1970 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-26D 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.

(.4) On October 18, 1997, at 1205 hours mountain standard time, a schwiezer 126-D glider, N7583, collided with a bush on short final approach for landing at the Turf Soaring School dirt airstrip, Peoria, Arizona. The glider sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft was operated by Turf Soaring School and rented by the pilot for use in a spot landing competition under 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to the pilot's statement, the area for the spot landing competition was between the runways and was marked by two sets of traffic cones; the competing gliders had to land and stop between the cone sets. The pilot noted that bushes/small scrub trees occupied the area prior to the cones. As the glider passed through 10 feet AGL nearing touchdown, the right wing contacted a large bush.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) ON OCTOBER 18, 1997, AT 1205 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A SCHWIEZER 126-D GLIDER, N7583, COLLIDED WITH A BUSH ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING AT THE TURF SOARING SCHOOL DIRT AIRSTRIP, PEORIA, ARIZONA. THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY TURF SOARING SCHOOL AND RENTED BY THE PILOT FOR USE IN A SPOT LANDING COMPETITION UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, THE AREA FOR THE SPOT LANDING COMPETITION WAS BETWEEN THE RUNWAYS AND WAS MARKED BY TWO SETS OF TRAFFIC CONES; THE COMPETING GLIDERS HAD TO LAND AND STOP BETWEEN THE CONE SETS. THE PILOT NOTED THAT BUSHES/SMALL SCRUB TREES OCCUPIED THE AREA PRIOR TO THE CONES. AS THE GLIDER PASSED THROUGH 10 FEET AGL NEARING TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A LARGE BUSH.

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 LAX98LA017Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPeoria, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles during the landing approach.Oct 18, 1997 · Substantial damage