19980221003859A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · SZD SZD48 · Pikeville, TN · February 21, 1998

Date: February 21, 1998 · 15:00 local
Place: Pikeville, TN
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N25MZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL98LA051
Reported as: SZD SZD48
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 268 total123 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N25MZRegistration cancelled Oct 31, 2013 · Pdps Pzl-Bielsko SZD-48-3S/N B-2074 · Built 1993 Airframe modelPdps Pzl-Bielsko SZD-48-3 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.

Lost thermal. Struck trees on approach to an open field. (-23) after losing thermal lift during thermal soaring, the pilot of a pdps pzl-bielsko Szd-48-3, N25MZ, attempted an emergency landing into a field in Pikeville, Tennessee. During the descent the glider collided with a tree. The glider sustained substantial damage, and the pilot received minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

LOST THERMAL. STRUCK TREES ON APPROACH TO AN OPEN FIELD. (-23) AFTER LOSING THERMAL LIFT DURING THERMAL SOARING, THE PILOT OF A PDPS PZL-BIELSKO SZD-48-3, N25MZ, ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO A FIELD IN PIKEVILLE, TENNESSEE. DURING THE DESCENT THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

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 ATL98LA051Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPikeville, TNThe loss of thermal lift.Feb 21, 1998 · Substantial damage