- Date
- May 28, 1984, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lucerne Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7710SSchweizer SGS1-26D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840528024139A
- Case key
- 24292
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt reported that his glider was the 3rd to launch (using an auto tow) on a distance completion flt. He released the tow cable at about 900 ft & began searching for lift. No lift was found. After a short time, he attempted to return to the departure point. While maneuvering at low alt on base leg, a thermal was encountered and the plt's visibility was momentarily restricted by a dust plume. At about that time, the glider stalled, its right wing tip contacted terrain & it cartwheeled. After the accident, the direction of launch was changed due to a wind shift. The plt stated, the apch 'was bad planning on my part.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7710S
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS1-26D
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 411
- Airframe hours
- 915
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Long Beach Soaring, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 12, 1983 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- Lucerne Valley, CA
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
- 63
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,822 total · 2 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.