Pleasant Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sun City, Arizona 85320
Sunday, November 9, 1986 14:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO FIND SUFFICIENT LIFT & DECIDED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING. DUE TO HIS LOW ALTITUDE, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO FLY A NORMAL PATTERN ENTRY. A DOWNWIND LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED; HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE RUNWAY, OTHER AIRCRAFT WERE DEPARTING. THE PILOT PARALLELED THE RUNWAY STILL ANTICIPATING A NORMAL LANDING. WHILE TURNING TOWARD THE RUNWAY, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED AN ADDITIONAL LOSS OF ALTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO ANOTHER LANDING SPOT, BUT THE GLIDER'S LEFT WING TIP COLLIDED WITH A SAGUARO CACTUS ABOUT 250 TO 300 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD 1053 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME IN SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT, BUT ONLY 11.9 HRS IN GLIDERS. ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, HE HELD ONLY A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/9/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SUN CITY
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85320
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PLEASANT VALLEY
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID DVT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1475
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3000
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) 1557
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 9 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1518
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32006
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7558
NTSB Number LAX87LA035
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 SGS2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS2-33A
Aircraft Serial Number 188
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 1476
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BABOQUAVANI SOARING SCHOOL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1586 BLACK CANYON STA
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85029
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MICHAEL W. MULLANE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15229 NO. 12TH ST
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85029
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SUN CITY
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone MST
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --