Pzl-Bielsko JANTAR 2A accident near Hood River, Oregon, April 22, 2000
On April 22, 2000 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Pzl-Bielsko JANTAR 2A (glider), registered N272AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hood River, Oregon (Hood River 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the glider after its wing came in contact with long grass growing on the runway surface. Factors include the pilot's improper decision to attempt a landing on a runway with known directional control hazards, and long grass present on the runway surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2000 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hood River, Oregon · Hood River Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl-Bielsko JANTAR 2A
- Registration
- N272AS · registry record · serial B-780
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival at the turf airstrip, the glider pilot noticed that the grass on the runway was significantly longer than normal, especially along the sides of the runway surface. During his first takeoff attempt, the right wing of his glider contacted the long grass, and it began to veer sharply to the right. At that point, the pilot released from the tow plane, and tried to maintain directional control as the glider came to a stop. Although he attempted to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway, the aircraft slid off the right side off the runway surface. After inspecting the glider for damage, and finding none, he attempted a second takeoff, which was successful. Upon returning to the airport after soaring for approximately four hours, the pilot elected to land on the same grass runway he had departed from, instead of on the adjacent paved runway. Although the touchdown was successful, at the very beginning of the landing roll, the wing again began contacting the long grass. Although the pilot tried to keep the aircraft tracking straight down the runway, the resistance of the grass pulling on the wing resulted in the aircraft turning sideways and sliding along the runway surface. As the aircraft slid, the gear collapsed and the fuselage fractured just aft of the wing trailing edge.
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: 957 hours in all; 396 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1999; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,290 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4S2 at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
Other NTSB records under N272AS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.