Schweizer 126-D accident near Peoria, Arizona, October 18, 1997
On October 18, 1997 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Schweizer 126-D (glider), registered N7583, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peoria, Arizona (Turf Soaring School 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles during the landing approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1997 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Arizona · Turf Soaring School · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 126-D
- Registration
- N7583 · registry record · serial 475
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was participating in a spot landing contest at the glider strip. The area for the landing spot competition was between the runways and was marked by two sets of traffic cones; the competing gliders had to land and stop between the cone sets. The pilot noted that bushes/small scrub trees occupied the area prior to the cones. As the glider passed through 10 feet agl nearing touchdown, the right wing contacted a large bush.
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: 150 hours in all; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from DVT, 12 miles away
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 LAX98LA017.