# Accident 19980222001659A: Sphrth VENTUSB, Williams, CA, February 22, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 1998, 17:15 local time
- Place: Williams, CA
- Airport: Williams Gliderport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.1101° N, 122.2701° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1101&lon=-122.2701&mi=10
- Aircraft: N948B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N948B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B (registry code 3802051, https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-ventus-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SPHRTH VENTUSB
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,509 total, 502 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980222001659A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 22, 1998, AT 1715 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A SCHEMPP-HIRTH VENTUS-B GLIDER, N948B, COLLIDED WITH A DRILLING RIG WHILE TURNING FROM LEFT BASE TO FINAL AT THE WILLIAMS, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIG. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT INITIATED AT 1230 AND WAS TERMINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A DRILLING RIG PARKED APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND HE WAS AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THE RIG BEFORE TAKEOFF. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE USUALLY PLACED A WOODEN WEDGE BEHIND THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE TO SECURE IT IN PLACE BEFORE LANDING, BUT WHILE ON FIANL HE NOTICED THAT HE HAD NOT YET SECURED IT. WHILE HE ATTEMPTED TO SECURE IT IN PLACE, HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD A "VERY GREAT RATE OF DESCENT." HE THEN "CONCENTRATED IN CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND PROPERLY ON THE RUNWAY, LOOKING AHEAD AND LOSING REFERENCE OF THE DRILLING RIG." THE RIGHT WINGTIP THEN HIT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE RIG AND APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 FEET OF THE WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE NOSE OF THE GLIDER HIT THE GROUND. THE GLIDER SPUN TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. (-23) WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO A PRIVATE GLIDER AIRPORT, MR. COLACEVICH BECAME DISTRACTED WITH POSITIONING LANDING GEAR HANDLE. THE GLIDER DEVELOPED A HIGHER THAN EXPECTED SINK RATE AND CONTACTED A DRILLING RIG WITH THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING. MR. COLACEVICH STATED HE WAS AWARE OF THE DRILLING RIG'S LOCATION.

## 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 LAX98LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA092), Feb 23, 1998: Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B (N948B), Williams, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from the oil drilling rig due to his attention being diverted inside the cockpit in order the secure the landing gear control.

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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