- Date
- June 20, 1988, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ephrata, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- CGHGZPeterson J-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 8, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 40834
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
In flight encounter with weather
Weather condition - downdraftFactor
Weather evaluation - misjudgedCause
Forced landing
Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skid
Terrain condition - none suitableFactor
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Ground loop/swerve
Analysis
The glider plt was maneuvering for a thermal when he encountered a downdraft. The plt said insufficient altitude remained for an airport landing. An off-airport landing on rough terrain resulted in damage to the glider.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CGHGZ
- Reported as
- Peterson J-4
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 7
- Airframe hours
- 64
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bryan M. Swansburg
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 14, 1987 · 8 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 284 total · 5 in this make and model · 203 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EPH, 5 nm away