Schweizer SGS 2-33A N7768S

Summary

On 11 May 1995 at about 01:30 local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A registered N7768S was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 May 1995 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Dillingham Airfield (PHDH)

Coordinates

21.2906, -157.6898

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS 2-33A

Registration

N7768S

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA184

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's attempted flight in close proximity to terrain under gusty wind conditions at an inadequate terrain clearance altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER BEING TOWED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1,000 FEET MSL, THE PILOT INITIALLY CLIMBED AN ADDITIONAL 100 FEET. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER HE ENCOUNTERED AN AREA WHICH WAS NOT GENERATING ANY LIFT AND DECIDED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. WHILE FLYING AN UPWIND COURSE, WHICH WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE NORTH SIDE OF A NEARBY RIDGE LINE, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED DOWNDRAFT. UNABLE TO MANEUVER OUT OF THE CONDITION, THE GLIDER WAS FORCED DOWN, IMPACTING STEEP, ROCKY TERRAIN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PREVAILING WINDS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE GUSTING FROM THE SOUTHEAST.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.