# NTSB WPR25LA144: Schweizer SGS 1-26B, N8657R, Ontario, OR, April 26, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 26, 2025, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Ontario, OR
- Coordinates: 44.020181, -117.01386
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0202&lon=-117.0139&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report May 14, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200078
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA144
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200078/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200078
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA144

## Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the final approach to land, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=8050118), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=8050118), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8050118), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=8050118), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-26B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8050118), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The glider pilot was on a local flight and returning to a local airport to land. While the pilot maneuvered the airplane onto the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane descended. Subsequently, the right wing dropped and impacted the ground 0.5 miles short of the runway. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported to the insurance company that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8657R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8657R), registered now, S/N 193, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER SGS 1-26B
- Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-26B](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-26b) (registry code 8050118) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 193
- Year built: 1963
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Unknown
- Airport: ONO, Ontario Muni, runway 15/33, 5,006 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 72; injuries: serious; sport pilot; medical: unknown; last flight review April 26, 2025; seat: single

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observed at: KONO
- METAR: METAR KONO 261753Z AUTO 32005KT 10SM FEW041 17/07 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP075 T01720067 10178 20100 58006=

## 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 20250426006699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250426006699A), Apr 26, 2025: Schweizer SGS 1-26B, Ontario, OR, Substantial damage. After tow release PIC conducted some local flying and then began return to departure airport of Ontario, OR. While on visual approach to runway 34 he found…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200078. 152 KB in all.

- Mor - insurance adjuster (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20272710&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Adjuster-Rel.pdf
- Accident photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20257947&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=68237-Rel.pdf

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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