NTSB LAX92LA285 — 1992-05-06 · HEMET, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N3619U

Make / Model: SCHWEIZER SGS 1-36
Year of manufacture: 1981 · 11 years old at event
Engine: NONE NONE
Seats / Engines: 1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19810619
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A413A9

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3619U Schweizer 1-36 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS SOARING IN A CLEAR AREA ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT WHEN HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS SUDDENLY AROSE OVER THE AIRPORT. THE CLOUDS BEGAN MOVING TOWARD THE PILOT'S LOCATION AND HE HEADED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. HE SAID THAT HEAVY RAIN OBSCURED THE AIRPORT AND RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE AIRPORT IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. THE PILOT NOTED THAT AFTER HE WAS COMMITTED TO THE SELECTED FIELD, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TERRAIN WAS ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE ROUGH FIELD AND INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92LA285.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM) Flutter clearance of the Schweizer 1-36 deep-stall sailplane

A Schweizer 1-36 sailplane was modified for a controlled, deep-stall flight program. This modification allowed the horizontal stabilizer to pivot as much as 70 deg leading edge down.