20200814013629A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Schweizer SGS 2-33A · Warner Springs, CA · August 14, 2020

Date: August 14, 2020 · 12:30 local
Place: Warner Springs, CA
Airport: Warner Springs
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7547
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA273
Reported as: Schweizer SGS 2-33A
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 33 total20 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N7547Registered now · Schweizer SGS 2-33AS/N 177 · Built 1970 Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 2-33A 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.

Glider pilot had normal take off and released the glider over hot spring at approximately 63OO feet MSL. After that pilot gained some more altitude and headed to a cloud a mile north of location. The cloud did not work as expected so pilot decided to head to the airport. At that point the glider was at 6500 feet MSL and approximately 7NM from Warner Springs gliderport. At this point the pilot was below the altitude required to glide to the airport. The pilot decided to look for a landing spot and put down the glider. The area was a rough terrain not FAR from the airport. In the landing process the glider got substantial damaged but it held together and gave the pilot some protection. The pilot was rescued without injuries.

As the FAA filed it

GLIDER PILOT HAD NORMAL TAKE OFF AND RELEASED THE GLIDER OVER HOT SPRING AT APPROXIMATELY 63OO FEET MSL. AFTER THAT PILOT GAINED SOME MORE ALTITUDE AND HEADED TO A CLOUD A MILE NORTH OF LOCATION. THE CLOUD DID NOT WORK AS EXPECTED SO PILOT DECIDED TO HEAD TO THE AIRPORT. AT THAT POINT THE GLIDER WAS AT 6500 FEET MSL AND APPROXIMATELY 7NM FROM WARNER SPRINGS GLIDERPORT. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT WAS BELOW THE ALTITUDE REQUIRED TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT DECIDED TO LOOK FOR A LANDING SPOT AND PUT DOWN THE GLIDER. THE AREA WAS A ROUGH TERRAIN NOT FAR FROM THE AIRPORT. IN THE LANDING PROCESS THE GLIDER GOT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED BUT IT HELD TOGETHER AND GAVE THE PILOT SOME PROTECTION. THE PILOT WAS RESCUED WITHOUT 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 WPR20CA273Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportWarner Springs, CAThe pilot's inability to maintain altitude due to a loss of thermal lift, which resulted in an off-airport landing.Aug 14, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7547 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19830306008359ATakeoff Ground Roll · Fremont Sky Sai, CAGlider pilot swerved off runway into muddy area during take off. Glider lifted off then slammed back into ground.Mar 6, 1983 · Minor damage Accident 19730320007489AIdling Engines · Fremont, CAFlipped over prior to tkof roll.Mar 20, 1973 · Substantial damage