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NTSB accident investigation · Schweizer SGS-126E · Reno, NV · February 17, 1985

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report

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Date
February 17, 1985, 14:55 local (22:55 UTC)
Place
Reno, NV
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N33883Schweizer SGS-126E
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19850217003289A
Case key
40115

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Altitude deviation,uncontrolledClimb
Weather condition - downdraftCause
Compensation for wind conditions - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Forced landingDescent - emergency
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selectedPilot in commandFactor

Analysis

Student glider pilot was ridge flying in thermals then lift dropped off. The acft turned downwind, away from rising terrain and the plt made an emergency off arpt landing.

Aircraft

Registration
N33883
Reported as
Schweizer SGS-126E
Category
Glider
Serial number
623
Airframe hours
1,316
Engine
unknown
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Ronald R. Hodge
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Aerobatic
Last inspection
Annual · January 24, 1985 · 5 hours before
N33883Registration cancelled Jun 1, 1988 · Schweizer SGS 1-26ES/N 623Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-26E

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
70
Certificate
Student
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Center
Flight hours
58 total · 34 in this make and model · 36 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
90° at 35 knots
Visibility
15 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.

Accident 19850217003289AScwzer SGS126E · Reno, NVEncountered downdraft attempting to regain altitude during thermal climb. Lost altitude,made emergency landing.Feb 17, 1985 · N33883 · Destroyed