Schweizer SGS 1-26E accident near Zionsville, Indiana, August 22, 1997
On August 22, 1997 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 1-26E (glider), registered N600JP, was destroyed in an accident near Zionsville, Indiana (Terry airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and subsequent spin. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in this make and model of glider.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1997 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Zionsville, Indiana · Terry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 1-26E · all SGS 1-26Es on the register
- Registration
- N600JP · registry record · serial 600
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported that the glider was airborne about 30 minutes before the accident occurred. They reported seeing the glider '...too low and too far away' to make a landing at the airport. The pilot radioed over the UNICOM frequency that he was 'low and in trouble,' and he was advised by one individual over UNICOM to look for a 'suitable field to land in.' Witnesses reported seeing the glider in '... level flight, heading south/southwest...and then made a right turn to the north.' They stated the pilot radioed that he was '...going down...' and during a shallow turn '...the aircraft stalled and spun about 2 times....' The glider impacted at a 70 degree, nose down angle and came to rest inverted. All control cables were intact, and flight control continuity was confirmed. The pilot had 1 hour of flight time in this make and model of glider.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,187 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1996; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 575 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I52 at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI97LA271.