Ridgeland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ridgeland, South Carolina 29936
Monday, July 27, 1992 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A WINDSHIFT DUE TO THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DUE TO A TAILWIND. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE GLIDER TO LAND IN A FIELD TO AVOID OBSTACLES, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING RESULTING IN AN ENCOUNTER WITH A WINDSHIFT ON FINAL APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RIDGELAND
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29936
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIDGELAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3J1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 79
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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 Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2394
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47106
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1139S
NTSB Number MIA92LA178
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 1-26E
Aircraft Series Identifier 1-26E
Aircraft Serial Number 519
Certified Max Gross Weight 700
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 May 26 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 599
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOWCOUNTRY SOARING ASSOCIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.BOX 16
Aircraft Owner City RIDGELAND
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29936
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LOWCOUNTRY SOARING ASSOCIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 16
Operator City RIDGELAND
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29936
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 1450
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 3
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --