- Date
- April 2, 1991, 00:01 local (07:01 UTC)
- Place
- Warner Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7562Schweizer SGS1-26-D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910402008229A
- Case key
- 27157
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
That the pilot used poor planning/decision and failed to maintain flying speed. Contributing to his accident was the loss of thermal lift and lack of experience in this type of aircraft.
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
This certificated commercial fixed wing pilot was practicing for an upcoming glider flight test. He was aero towed from the gliderport at about 1340 hours. When the glider did not return by 1700 hours the operator dispatched 3 tow airplane's to search for the glider. The glider was located at about 1750 hours. The pilot told the operator that the glider started losing altitude when returning to the glinderport. He elected to fly along the ridge in hopes of attaining additional thermals but he allowed the airspeed to diminish. When he attempted to turn the glider stalled and spun in.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7562
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS1-26-D
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 463
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Willat, Bert
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- Warner Springs
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 3,800 total · 6 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7562 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.