Schweizer 1-26E accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, July 27, 1992
On July 27, 1992 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Schweizer 1-26E (glider), registered N1139S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina (Ridgeland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING RESULTING IN AN ENCOUNTER WITH A WINDSHIFT ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1992 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgeland, South Carolina · Ridgeland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 1-26E
- Registration
- N1139S · registry record · serial 519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A WINDSHIFT DUE TO THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DUE TO A TAILWIND. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE GLIDER TO LAND IN A FIELD TO AVOID OBSTACLES, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 599 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lowcountry Soaring Association
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 3,100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- 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.