Schweizer SGS 1-35 N34173

Summary

On 6 May 2000 at about 22:00 local time, a Schweizer SGS 1-35 registered N34173 was involved in an accident near Seaside, Oregon, 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.

Date

6 May 2000 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Seaside, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.8494, -123.5701

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS 1-35

Registration

N34173

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McMinnville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA085

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to continue to a point where he could not be assured of reaching a safe landing-out site if he encountered an area of significant sink after departing his planned route of flight. Factors include downdrafts, terrain that contained no suitable landing sites, and trees at the location where the pilot found it necessary to execute a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route on the west side of Oregon's Coastal Range, the glider pilot reached a point where he felt he could not be assured of successfully continuing on his planned route. He therefore turned toward Seaside, Oregon, hoping to land at the Seaside Airport. But soon after making the turn, the aircraft encountered significant sink. Once the pilot realized that he was not going to make it to the airport, he started looking for a safe place to land out, but he was not able to find one. When he was about three miles from the airport, he determined he could not proceed much further, so he elected to make a forced landing in a group of small deciduous trees. Although he was not injured, the aircraft sustained substantial damage when it collided with the trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.