On June 3, 1988, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (registration N7768S) operated by Lagoon Valley Soaring was involved in an aviation accident near Vacaville, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's misjudgment of altitude during the approach, leading to a landing short of the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A glider pilot misread the altimeter, believing he was at 12 feet when actually at 220 feet, causing a short landing and fence collision.
What happened
During a pleasure flight, the pilot extended the downwind leg in preparation for landing. The pilot operated under the mistaken belief that the aircraft's altitude was 12 feet above the ground. In reality, the glider was at an altitude of 220 feet. This error stemmed from the pilot's usual operating environment at a different airport with a field elevation of 12 feet, which likely influenced his perception of height during this flight.
From the extended downwind position, the glider did not possess sufficient altitude to reach and land on the runway as intended. Consequently, the aircraft touched down short of the runway threshold. During the subsequent landing roll, the glider collided with a fence located near the airfield boundary.
Probable cause
The pilot's misjudgment of altitude during the approach, leading to a landing short of the runway.
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