# NTSB MIA00LA239: Schweizer SGS 1-34, N7679, Zephyrhills, FL, August 16, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 16, 2000, 14:03 local (18:03 UTC)
- Place: Zephyrhills, FL
- Coordinates: 28.259304, -82.130638 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2593&lon=-82.1306&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 50008
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA239
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50008/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA239

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on final approach resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, landing
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - ground

## Analysis

The glider was observed to enter the traffic pattern for landing. On final approach the witness described the approach as low and slow, before the glider started spinning to the right and collided with the terrain.

## Factual narrative

On August 16, 2000, at about 1403 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 1-34, N7679, registered to Tampa Bay Soaring Society Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed on landing in the vicinity of Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH), Zephyrhills, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The glider sustained substantial damage and the student pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from ZPH, about 33 minutes before the accident.

The pilot remembers departing on the glider flight; and remembers returning to the traffic pattern, but has no further recall of the events leading up to the accident.

The brother of the injured pilot stated he observed the glider established on a low and slow final to runway 36, before the glider started spinning to the right. He contacted UNICOM on a handheld radio and asked them to call 911.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7679](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7679-2014-11-18), registration cancelled 2014-11-18, S/N 59, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS 1-34
- Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-34](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-34) (registry code 8050146) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 59
- Airframe hours: 2640
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Tampa Bay Soaring Society Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 7, 2000, 17 hours before
- Departed: ZPH

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 16; student; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 60 total, 20 in this make and model, 50 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TPA, 35 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20000816015319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000816015319A), Aug 16, 2000: Scwzer SGS134, Zephyrhills, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated on this flight that he was low on downwind leg and base leg to rwy 36. After turning to the final approach he pulled up to clear the trees…

## Other investigations on N7679 (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA95LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA95LA011), Oct 22, 1994: Schweizer SGS 1-34 (N7679), Mulberry, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION RESULTING IN A LEAKING BRAKE GOING UNDETECTED. THIS RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE DUE TO LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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