Plane Crash List

Schweizer 1-24 N91888

25 May 1996 · Tehachapi, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 25 May 1996 at about 22:00 local time, a Schweizer 1-24 registered N91888 was involved in an accident near Tehachapi, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 22:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Tehachapi, California, United States
Nearest airport
Mountain Valley Airport (L94)
Coordinates
35.1209, -118.5110
Aircraft
Schweizer 1-24
Registration
N91888
Category
Glider
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX96LA218

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

the glider pilot's decision to land on the grass covered infield instead of the alternate runway, and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper use of the spoilers and brakes.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The glider pilot was inbound to land on the glider runway. Two gliders were in position for launch from the mid-runway launch point. The pilot decided to land in a grass covered area between the glider runway and the powered aircraft runway. Witnesses stated that the glider was fast on final approach with no sign of spoiler use. The glider touched down and drifted into the two gliders in position. An instructor pilot stated that the glider was traveling about 50 knots when it hit the first glider. Spoiler use was observed by witnesses when a collision was imminent. The wheel brake is activated with full spoiler deployment. Normal flight procedures for landing are to land on the glider runway with gliders in launch position at the mid-runway position. If the pilot feels uncomfortable about the approach, he is to land on the power aircraft runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Schweizer 1 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Aug 1993 Schweizer 1-35C
N2562H
Wickenburg, Arizona, United States - Serious injuries -
27 Jul 1992 Schweizer 1-26E
N1139S
Ridgeland, South Carolina, United States Lowcountry Soaring Association Minor injuries -
6 May 1992 Schweizer 1-36
N3619U
Hemet, California, United States
no coordinates
Orange County Soaring Assoc No injuries -
7 Sep 1992 Schweizer 1-26D
N7734S
Blairstown, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
Ronald Schwartz No injuries -
23 Jun 1992 Schweizer 1-26E
N2781H
Waynesboro, Virginia, United States Augusta Aviation Serious injuries -
20 Jul 2002 Schweizer 1-26B
N111HK
New Douglas, Illinois, United States Silvercreek Glider Club Inc. Minor injuries -

All 78 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Mar 1996 Maule M-6-235
N5652C
Bishop, California, United States - No injuries -
11 Oct 1996 Cessna 210A
N9403X
Truckee, California, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
8 Mar 1996 Cessna 152
N49048
Santa Paula, California, United States - Serious injuries -
3 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N5705U
Plymouth, California, United States - No injuries -
13 Mar 1996 Cessna T210M
N8683M
Grass Valley, California, United States - Serious injuries -
14 Mar 1996 Cessna 172L
N7668G
Napa, California, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States