- Date
- April 22, 2007, 14:27 local (21:27 UTC)
- Place
- Banks, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N366WJiran FJ-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070422006719A
- Case key
- 65637
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
the pilot's misjudged distance/altitude that led to a failure to attain the proper touchdown point.
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
The glider experienced a loss of lift and collided with a bench during a forced landing in a field. A towplane launched the glider, releasing it 4 nautical miles southwest of the departure airport at an altitude of 2,700 msl. The pilot discovered several thermals in the area and ascended to 3,700 feet msl. Shortly thereafter, the glider encountered rain showers and began to lose altitude. Though the bad weather appeared as though it was dissipating, the glider continued to descend. The pilot opted to land in a plowed field. The glider touched down in the field farther down than the pilot anticipated. The pilot did not have a sufficient distance to stop before the glider's right wing collided with a robust bench.
Factual narrative
The glider experienced a loss of lift and collided with a bench during a forced landing in a field. In a written statement, the pilot reported that prior to departure he spoke with a McMinnville Flight Service Station (FSS) briefer. He received a weather forecast indicating that the top of lift was to be 5,300 feet mean sea level (msl).
The pilot further stated that a towplane launched the glider, releasing it 4 nautical miles southwest of the departure airport at an altitude of 2,700 msl. The pilot discovered several thermals in the area and ascended to 3,700 feet msl. Shortly thereafter, the glider encountered rain showers and began to lose altitude. Though the bad weather appeared as though it was dissipating, the glider continued to descend. The pilot opted to land in a plowed field. The glider touched down in the field farther down than the pilot anticipated. The pilot did not have a sufficient distance to stop before the glider's right wing collided with a robust bench.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N366W
- Reported as
- Jiran FJ-1
- Category
- Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 1OR4 · North Plains, OR
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
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Flight hours
- 331 total · 276 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.