Schweizer 1-36 accident near Hemet, California, May 6, 1992
On May 6, 1992 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 1-36 (glider), registered N3619U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hemet, California. 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 PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1992 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hemet, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 1-36
- Registration
- N3619U · registry record · serial 29
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS SOARING IN A CLEAR AREA ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT WHEN HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS SUDDENLY AROSE OVER THE AIRPORT. THE CLOUDS BEGAN MOVING TOWARD THE PILOT'S LOCATION AND HE HEADED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. HE SAID THAT HEAVY RAIN OBSCURED THE AIRPORT AND RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE AIRPORT IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. THE PILOT NOTED THAT AFTER HE WAS COMMITTED TO THE SELECTED FIELD, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TERRAIN WAS ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE ROUGH FIELD AND INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,344 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 5,292 as pilot in command; 328 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orange County Soaring Assoc
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.