20020310004719A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS126A · Strasburg, VA · March 10, 2002

Date: March 10, 2002 · 10:05 local
Place: Strasburg, VA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N3878A
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD02LA036
Reported as: Scwzer SGS126A

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.

(-23) Due to strong mountain turbulence conditions, the pilot elected to make a precautionary off-field landing in a farm field. During a right-traffic downwind-to-base turn, the right wing tip hit several treetops. The aircraft lost control and impacted the landing site nose first.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DUE TO STRONG MOUNTAIN TURBULENCE CONDITIONS, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY OFF-FIELD LANDING IN A FARM FIELD. DURING A RIGHT-TRAFFIC DOWNWIND-TO-BASE TURN, THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT SEVERAL TREETOPS. THE AIRCRAFT LOST CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE LANDING SITE NOSE FIRST.

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 IAD02LA036Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportStrausburg, VAThe pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather resulted in a loss of thermal lift, which resulted in an impact with trees.Mar 10, 2002 · Substantial damage