Szd Jantar 42-1 accident near Wamic, Oregon, May 2, 2004
On May 2, 2004 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Szd Jantar 42-1 (glider), registered N272AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wamic, Oregon. 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 glider pilot's inadequate en route planning, which resulted in a forced landing in an area without suitable landing terrain. Factors include no suitable landing terrain in the area where the pilot found it necessary to execute a forced landing, and trees at the location where the aircraft came in contact with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2004 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wamic, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Szd Jantar 42-1
- Registration
- N272AS · registry record · serial B780
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was beginning to work his way north toward his destination landing site, when he encountered an area where there was not sufficient lift to keep the glider at an altitude that would allow him to continue along his intended route. As the glider descended, the pilot headed toward an area where he knew there was a small airstrip that he would be able to land on. Once the aircraft descended to a height of about 300 feet above the ground, the pilot realized that he could not safely continue en route, so he made the decision that he should commit to the best nearby landing area he could find. Since he was at that time over terrain that was almost completely covered by trees, he selected an area of young/small trees, and flew the glider onto them at a very slow airspeed in an attempt to execute a controlled crash landing. After impacting the trees, the glider slid to the ground, and the pilot exited in a normal manner.
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: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,480 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 185 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 26, 2004
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 898 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 2003; 7.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,380 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: 4S2 Hood River OR at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 4S2
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.