Sky Sailing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fremont, California 94537
Sunday, October 20, 1991 10:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE 206-HOUR GLIDER PILOT, HE RELEASED FROM THE TOW AIRPLANE AT 3,500 FEET MSL AND STAYED NEAR THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AFTER DESCENDING TO 1,000 FEET THE PILOT ENTERED THE LANDING TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE TURN ONTO THE BASE AND FINAL APPROACH LEGS APPEARED NORMAL. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH THE GLIDER'S RATE OF DESCENT RAPIDLY INCREASED, AND THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH THE ROOF OF A BUILDING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE SURFACE WIND WAS BETWEEN 9 AND 10 MPH, AND THE WIND WAS NOT GUSTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1035
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FREMONT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94537
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY SAILING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8Q7
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 12
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 22
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1740
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45617
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17886
NTSB Number LAX92LA021
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-2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS-2-33A
Aircraft Serial Number 256
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
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 2
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
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 Unknown
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 FREMONT SKY SAILING
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4558 N. FORD LOOP
Operator City FREMONT
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94538
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 1010
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 28
Runway Length 1840
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --