Schweizer SGS2-33 N11468

Summary

On 23 April 1987 at about 02:00 local time, a Schweizer SGS2-33 registered N11468, operated by Honolulu Soaring Club, Inc., was involved in an accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

23 April 1987 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.5701, -158.1208

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS2-33

Registration

N11468

Category

Glider

Operator

Honolulu Soaring Club, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX87DJA06

1 person was seriously injured.

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

DURING A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLT ALONG A RIDGE LINE, WHILE MANEUVERING AROUND A CLOUD BUILD-UP, THE ACFT ENTERED A WINDSHEAR THAT SUDDENLY NOSED THE ACFT OVER IN AN APRX 75 DEG VERTICAL DIVE. JUST PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH TREES, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN SOME CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN AN APRX 45 DEG ATTITUDE. IN THESE MOUNTAINS A CATABATIC WIND OFTEN FLOWS DOWNSLOPE AS SOLAR HEAT IS RADIATED FROM THE TERRAIN, COOLING THE TERRAIN SURFACE. THE TRADE WINDS CROSS THE RIDGES OBLIQUELY RESULTING IN EDDIES THAT PRODUCE OFF RIDGE FLOW. WHEN THE EDDIES AND CATABATIC GUSTS COINCIDE, A WIND SHEAR CAN OCCUR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.