Schweizer SGS123 N9915J
13 May 2018 · Tunbridge, Vermont, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 May 2018 at about 19:36 local time, a Schweizer SGS123 registered N9915J, operated by Post Mills Soaring Club Inc, was involved in an accident near Tunbridge, Vermont, 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 19:36
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Tunbridge, Vermont, United States
- Coordinates
- 43.8958, -72.4400
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS123
- Registration
- N9915J
- Category
- Glider
- Year built
- 1966
- Operator
- Post Mills Soaring Club Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Post Mills → Post Mills
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- GAA18CA283
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The student glider’s inability to maintain altitude due to a loss of thermal lift, which resulted in an off-airport landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The solo student glider pilot reported that, during the return flight to the airport, he was unable to maintain enough lift and did not have enough altitude to cross a section of forest between his location and the airport. After he selected a field for landing, during the base leg turn, he determined that he did not have enough altitude to clear a line of trees at the threshold of the field. He then continued straight ahead, parallel to the line of trees, and impacted the ground in a small clearing. The glider sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schweizer SGS123 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jul 1974 | Schweizer SGS123 | Moriarty, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 1972 | Schweizer SGS123 | Odessa, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 1971 | Schweizer SGS123 | Cooperstown, New York, United States | Iroquois Soari | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 1971 | Schweizer SGS123 | Minden, Nevada, United States | Calcondors SOA | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Apr 1970 | Schweizer SGS123 | McKittrick, California, United States | Calcondors SOA | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 1970 | Schweizer SGS123 | Oakham, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Aug 2018 | Piper PA22 | Island Pond, Vermont, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Aug 2018 | Maule MX7 | Post Mills, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 2018 | Cessna 172 | Vergennes, Vermont, United States | Vermont Flight Academy | No injuries | - |
| 29 Aug 2018 | Schweizer SGS 2 32 | Morrisville, Vermont, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 8 Sep 2018 | Bosko Wr/Bosko Ce SAFARI | Highgate, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2018 | Cessna 172 | Burlington, Vermont, United States | Vermont Flight Academy | No injuries | - |