# NTSB SEA00LA085: Schweizer SGS 1-35, N34173, Seaside, OR, May 6, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 6, 2000, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Seaside, OR - Coordinates: 45.849369, -123.570091 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8494&lon=-123.5701&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49233 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA00LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49233/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA085 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper decision to continue to a point where he could not be assured of reaching a safe landing-out site if he encountered an area of significant sink after departing his planned route of flight. Factors include downdrafts, terrain that contained no suitable landing sites, and trees at the location where the pilot found it necessary to execute a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, emergency landing - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis While en route on the west side of Oregon's Coastal Range, the glider pilot reached a point where he felt he could not be assured of successfully continuing on his planned route. He therefore turned toward Seaside, Oregon, hoping to land at the Seaside Airport. But soon after making the turn, the aircraft encountered significant sink. Once the pilot realized that he was not going to make it to the airport, he started looking for a safe place to land out, but he was not able to find one. When he was about three miles from the airport, he determined he could not proceed much further, so he elected to make a forced landing in a group of small deciduous trees. Although he was not injured, the aircraft sustained substantial damage when it collided with the trees. ## Factual narrative On May 6, 2000, approximately 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 1-35 glider, N34173, collided with trees during a forced landing about three miles east of Seaside, Oregon. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight, which departed McMinnville Airport, McMinnville, Oregon, about four hours earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, he had flown to an area near Astoria, Oregon, and then attempted to soar south along the western side of the Coastal Range. He hoped to be able to fly south to Tillamook, and then cross back over the mountains and return to McMinnville. While proceeding south, he intended to land at Seaside, Manzanita, or Tillamook if he reached a point where it appeared he could not safely continue. Upon reaching an area about 10 miles southeast of Seaside, he elected to turn back to Seaside, as he felt that there was "no assurance" that he could safely continue on his planned route. Soon after turning toward Seaside, he entered an area of "strong sink" and the aircraft began to lose altitude rapidly. When he was about five miles from the airport, the pilot realized that he could not successfully reach Seaside unless he encountered an area of lift. Since there were no suitable landing-out areas in sight, the pilot continued toward the airport by following the Clark River Valley. When he reached a point approximately three miles east of Seaside, knowing that he could not continue much further, the pilot elected to make a controlled forced landing in some small deciduous trees adjacent to a road running through the valley he was following. Although the pilot was not injured, the aircraft sustained substantial damage when it collided with the trees. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34173](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N34173), registered now, S/N 12 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS 1-35 - Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-35](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-35) (registry code 8050148) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 12 - Airframe hours: 2217 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Larry W. Oberholtzer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 1999, 146 hours before - Departed: MMV, MCMINNVILLE, OR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; commercial; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 1,921 total, 1,124 in this make and model, 1,257 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 34 °F ## 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 20000506007689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000506007689A), May 6, 2000: Scwzer SGS135, Seaside, OR, No damage. (-23) Glinder encountered strong sink and rapidly lost altitude. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.