Aviation Crash Map

Schweizer SGS2-33A N7558

9 November 1986 · Sun City, Arizona, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 9 November 1986 at about 21:25 local time, a Schweizer SGS2-33A registered N7558, operated by Michael W. Mullane, was involved in an accident near Sun City, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

The record

Date
at 21:25
Classification
Accident
Location
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Nearest airport
Pleasant Valley
Coordinates
33.8109, -113.1793
Aircraft
Schweizer SGS2-33A
Registration
N7558
Category
Glider
Operator
Michael W. Mullane
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Sun City → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX87LA035

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Schweizer SGS2 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
23 Apr 1987 Schweizer SGS2-33
N11468
Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States Honolulu Soaring Club, Inc. Serious injuries -
7 Mar 1983 Schweizer SGS2-33A
N7547
Fremont, California, United States - Serious injuries -
17 Oct 1982 Schweizer SGS2-33AK
N17965
Mecklenburg, New York, United States
no coordinates
Ithaca Soaring Club No injuries -
24 Oct 1981 Schweizer SGS2
N2979H
Kutztown, Pennsylvania, United States
no coordinates
Kutztown Aviat Minor injuries -
28 May 1991 Schweizer SGS2-33A
N1181S
Little River, South Carolina, United States Carolina Sailplanes, Inc. No injuries -
5 Jul 1992 Schweizer SGS2-33A
N36133
Kendallville, Indiana, United States Bryan Soaring Club, Inc. No injuries -

All 23 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Nov 1986 Cessna T210N
N1625U
Buckeye, Arizona, United States - Serious injuries -
17 Nov 1986 Piper PA-18-150
N4101E
Chandler, Arizona, United States James D. Vaughan No injuries -
19 Apr 1986 Piper PA-25-235
N6661Z
Phoenix, Arizona, United States RAY Couliette No injuries -
17 Jul 1986 Grumman G-164-3
N5342
Casa Grande, Arizona, United States
no coordinates
Al-Don Dusting Service, Inc. No injuries -
12 Aug 1986 Air Tractor AT301
N4410S
Gilbert, Arizona, United States Aero Spray, Inc. No injuries -
19 Sep 1986 Forbes-Wolfram Special DSA-1M
N99QB
St. Johns, Arizona, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States