Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hood River, Oregon 97031
Sunday, January 5, 1992 13:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TOW TO ALTITUDE, THE CANOPY FOGGED OVER. THE PILOT'S VISIBILITY WAS GREATLY REDUCED AND AFTER RELEASING AT 2,800 FEET, THE PILOT TRIED TO CLEAR THE CANOPY; HOWEVER, THE FLIGHT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC. THE PILOT EJECTED THE CANOPY AND SPOTTED A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH STUMPS AND CUT TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION ALONG WITH THE PILOT'S RESTRICTED VISIBILITY. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CLOUDS AND VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City HOOD RIVER
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97031
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1348 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 84
Weather Observation Facility ID DLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 243
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 98
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45978
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2818H
NTSB Number SEA92LA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS-1-35C
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-1-35C
Aircraft Serial Number 78
Certified Max Gross Weight 660
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLAMETTE VALLEY SOARING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16925 NE GLISAN ST
Operator City PORTLAND
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97230
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1316
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --