- Date
- October 27, 1993, 14:30 local (Oct 28, 1993, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mokuleia, HI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7779SSchweizer SGS 2-33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931027041019A
- Case key
- 28581
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 student pilot's misjudgement of descent rate and terrain clearance while manuevering along a ridgeline. Factors in the accident were the downdrafts and the mountainous/hilly nature of the terrain.
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
According to FAA Inspectors, the student pilot was operating in weak ridge conditions and encountered a sinking air mass while manuevering along a ridgeline. In so doing, the right wing of the glider struck a tree. The pilot was able to continue the flight and landed at Dillingham Airfield without further incident. An off-duty FSDO supervisor saw the aircraft in the hangar and noticed damage to the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On October 27, 1993, at 1430 Hawaiian standard time, a Schweitzer SGS 2-33A, N7779S, struck a tree with the right wing while soaring along a ridge line. The student pilot was conducting a local visual flight rules solo instructional flight. The glider, operated by Honolulu Soaring Club, Inc., sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Dillingham Airfield, Waialua, Hawaii, at 1330 Hawaiian standard time.
According to FAA Inspectors, the student pilot was operating in weak ridge conditions and encountered a sinking air mass. In so doing, the right wing of the glider struck a tree. The pilot was able to continue the flight and landed at Dillingham Airfield without further incident. An off-duty FSDO supervisor saw the aircraft in the hangar and noticed damage which consisted of a five inch dent in the leading edge between the third and fourth wing ribs, counting inboard from the tip. The skin was severely wrinkled, extending from the impact point on the leading edge, aft to the trailing edge.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7779S
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 149
- Airframe hours
- 5,281
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Honolulu Soaring Club, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 5, 1993 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- HDH · Waialua, HI
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
- 21
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 54 total · 54 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N7779S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.