Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alabaster, Alabama 35007
Sunday, July 23, 1989 16:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE GLIDER PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AFTER ENCOUNTERING T-STORMS THAT HAD MOVED INTO THE AREA. HE SUBSEUQNETLY ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LDG. DURING THE LDG, THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN AND SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. THE PLT ATTRIBUTED THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT TO COMPLACENCY AND POOR JUDGEMENT: HE STATED THAT HE WAS COMPLACENT ABOUT THE WX EVEN THOUGH SCATTERED T-STORMS HAD BEEN PREDICTED. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT HE USED POOR JUDGEMENT BY FAILING TO EXPEDITE HIS RETURN TO THE AIRPORT WHEN HE FIRST OBSERVED THE STORM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE GLIDER PILOT'S POOR EVALUATION OF AREA WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE FLIGHT, WHICH NECESSITATED AN OFF-AIRPORT PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND LED TO A COLLISION WITH ROUGH TERRAIN DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA, THE PILOT'S COMPLACENCY REGARDING AREA WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WHICH EXISTED AT THE LANDING SITE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ALABASTER
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35007
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 0
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1942
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41072
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65943
NTSB Number ATL89LA184
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 SGS 1-26E
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-26E
Aircraft Serial Number 583
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 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 Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BIRMINGHAM SOARING SOCIETY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 20053
Aircraft Owner City BIRMINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35216
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code 29A
Departure City MONTEVALLO
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --