# Accident 19980611013249A: Scwzer SGS233A, North Plains, OR, June 11, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 11, 1998, 18:00 local time - Place: North Plains, OR - Airport: North Plains Gliderport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 45.6693° N, 123.0201° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6693&lon=-123.0201&mi=10 - Aircraft: N65918, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65918) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Schweizer SGS 2-33A (registry code 8051606, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-2-33a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCWZER SGS233A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 75 total, 6 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA094) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980611013249A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. LEFT WING IMPACTED A POLE DURING LANDING ROLL. (.4)THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) REPORTED THAT HE 'FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DEVIATED FROM AN ACCEPTABLE TRACK DOWN A GRASS RUNWAY (270) AND CONTACTED A POLE WITH THE LEFT WING' WHILE HE 'WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING OUT TO AVOID ANOTHER OBJECT.' CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE CALM WINDS, WITH HEAVILY OVERCAST GRAY SKIES WITH LIGHT PRECIPITATION. AFTER A COMMENT FROM HIS PASSENGER THE PIC SAW THE BRIGHT WHITE GOLF CART AND BEGAN TO MANEUVER AWAY FROM IT. THE PIC'S 'FIRST REACTION ON FEELING THE CONTACT WITH THE POLE WAS DISBELIEF, BECAUSE I KNEW I COULD NOT HAVE STRUCK THE CART, AND THE POLE SIMPLY HADN'T REGISTERED IN MY MIND AT ALL.' NEITHER THE PIC NOR PASSENGER EVER SAW THE POLE WHICH WAS ORDINARILY MARKED WITH BRIGHT YELLOW PARACHUTE EXTENDING OUT AND CENTERED AROUND THE POLE. WITH THE PARACHUTE HAVING BEEN REMOVED, THE PIC'S EXPECTATION OF THE POLE'S USUAL VIVID (YELLOW) IMAGE WAS DIFFERENT FROM REALITY AND HE HAD NO INCENTIVE TO EXECUTE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. ADDITIONALLY, THE GLIDERPORT GRASS RUNWAY HAD NO MARKINGS DELINEATING ITS BOUNDARY NOR DID IT HAVE ANY CENTERLINE MARKING T O GUIDE THE PIC IN MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. (-23) PILOT HAD DEPARTED PRIVATE GLIDER AIRPORT FOR A SHORT FLIGHT AND RETURNED FOR LANDING. PILOT WAS INBOUND AND HAD MADE A NORMAL APPROACH, BUT AIRSPEED WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN NORMAL (55-60MPH). THE LANDING RWY (27) WAS GRASS, 2000-FEET LONG WITH A POLE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET SOUTH OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. IN ADDITION, A GOLF CART WAS PARKED APPROXIMATELY 3-4 FEET NORTH OF THE POLE. PILOT SAID HE WAS FIXATING ON THE GOLF CART AND LIFTED THE WING TO MISS THE GOLF CART, BUT DID NOT SEE THE POLE. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE POLE APPROXIMATELY 9 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE LEFT WING SPAR BENT ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN AND THE WING TIP WAS DENTED. ## 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 SEA98LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA094), Jun 11, 1998: Schweizer SGS 2-33A (N65918), North Plains, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his failure to maintain clearance from a pole. Contributing factors were rain and an overcast which resulted in less than optimal conditions to… ## Other reports on N65918 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20060520008969I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060520008969I), May 20, 2006: Scwzer SGS233A (N65918), North Plains, OR, Minor damage. (-23) According to PIC: "on final approach to landing, I encountered a thermal at the end of the runway. I put the nose down to maintain altitude, and ended up… - [Incident 19780129004379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780129004379I), Jan 29, 1978: Scwzer SGS233A (N65918), San Diego, CA, Minor damage. Glider low on final approach. Wing struck bush turning aircraft 90 degrees. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.