- Date
- August 22, 1997, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Zionsville, IN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N600JPSchweizer SGS 1-26E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970822023469A
- Case key
- 10683
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and subsequent spin. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in this make and model of glider.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses reported that the glider was airborne about 30 minutes before the accident occurred. They reported seeing the glider '...too low and too far away' to make a landing at the airport. The pilot radioed over the UNICOM frequency that he was 'low and in trouble,' and he was advised by one individual over UNICOM to look for a 'suitable field to land in.' Witnesses reported seeing the glider in '... level flight, heading south/southwest...and then made a right turn to the north.' They stated the pilot radioed that he was '...going down...' and during a shallow turn '...the aircraft stalled and spun about 2 times....' The glider impacted at a 70 degree, nose down angle and came to rest inverted. All control cables were intact, and flight control continuity was confirmed. The pilot had 1 hour of flight time in this make and model of glider.
Factual narrative
On August 22, 1997, at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 1-26E glider, N600JP, operated by the Central Indiana Soaring Society, was destroyed when it stalled and spun into the ground near Zionsville, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local, personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot sustained serious injuries.
In his written statement the pilot stated he has "...no memory of the flight or the accident." The pilot said he only remembers "...winding the barograph prior to the flight" and then being in the hospital.
Witnesses said the pilot was airborne for approximately 30 minutes before the accident occurred. The accident occurred approximately 1.5 miles northeast of the Terry Airport. Witnesses stated that they saw the glider "...too low and too far away" to make a landing at the airport. It is reported that the pilot then radioed over the Unicom frequency that he was "low and in trouble." The pilot was advised by one individual over Unicom to look for a "suitable field to land in."
Witnesses stated that the glider was in "... level flight heading south/southwest...and then made a right turn to the north." According to witnesses, the pilot then radioed that he was "...going down... ." The pilot was advised by a club member to choose a bean field. A witness said that the aircraft "...began a slow, shallow right hand turn, but the aircraft stalled and spun about 2 times... ."
According to the Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the glider impacted at approximately a 70 degree nose down angle and came to rest inverted. All control cables were intact and flight control continuity was confirmed. The pilot had one hour of flight time in this make and model of glider.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N600JP
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 1-26E
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 600
- Airframe hours
- 1,187
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Central Indiana Soaring Soc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1996 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- I52
- Airport
- I52 · Terry
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 18
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 22 total · 1 in this make and model · 14 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.