Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hemet, California 92343
Wednesday, May 6, 1992 13:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS SOARING IN A CLEAR AREA ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT WHEN HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS SUDDENLY AROSE OVER THE AIRPORT. THE CLOUDS BEGAN MOVING TOWARD THE PILOT'S LOCATION AND HE HEADED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. HE SAID THAT HEAVY RAIN OBSCURED THE AIRPORT AND RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE AIRPORT IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. THE PILOT NOTED THAT AFTER HE WAS COMMITTED TO THE SELECTED FIELD, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TERRAIN WAS ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE ROUGH FIELD AND INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HEMET
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92343
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 Moderate
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) 2118
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46128
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3619U
NTSB Number LAX92LA285
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 1-36
Aircraft Series Identifier 1-36
Aircraft Serial Number 29
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ORANGE COUNTY SOARING ASSOC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 5475
Aircraft Owner City BUENA PARK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90622
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ORANGE COUNTY SOARING ASSOC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 5475
Operator City BUENA PARK
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90622
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 1145
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:35AM
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 --