S.A. Centrair Pegase 101D accident near Williams, California, May 28, 2005
On May 28, 2005 at about 7:00 pm local time, a S.A. Centrair Pegase 101D (glider), registered N70LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williams, California (Williams Gliderport airport). 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
loss of thermal lift during flight that resulted in a forced landing in an area without suitable landing terrain. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2005 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Williams, California · Williams Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- S.A. Centrair Pegase 101D
- Registration
- N70LE · no longer on the register · serial 101D0519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider made an off-airport landing on a dirt road in crosswind conditions with rising terrain to the right, and ground looped. While soaring, the glider encountered sinking conditions and could not maintain sufficient lift for a landing at the departure gliderport. After determining that he was unlikely to be able to return to the departure airport, the pilot made a forced landing on a fire service road. During the landing rollout, due to a combination of rising terrain and an existing crosswind, the right wing lifted up, and the left wing contacted the ground, and ground looped.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CN12 Williams CA at 5:44 pm
- Destination: CN12 Williams CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SMF, 45 miles away
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.