Schweizer 1-26B accident near Senoia, Georgia, May 31, 1983
On May 31, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Schweizer 1-26B (glider), registered N9849E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Senoia, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Senoia, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 1-26B
- Registration
- N9849E · no longer on the register · serial 320
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APRX 2 HRS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE GLIDER PLT RAN OUT OF LIFTING ACTION & SELECTED A HAY FIELD FOR A LANDING PLACE. FROM THE AIR, THE FIELD APPEARED TO BE A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. HOWEVER, AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT WING ENCOUNTERED A CLUMP OF HIGHER HAY (APRX 3 FT HIGH) ON A SMALL RISE OF THE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER TURNED SIDEWAYS & THE TAILWHEEL HIT ROCKS, DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,220 hours in all; 1,752 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.