On 5/25/2016 10:35 AM, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
If I recall correctly this 1-26 collided with a glass glider whose pilot
did not get out. Goes to show if it is not your time...

No other glider (or plane) involved. See the March, 1998 "Soaring" mag (online
archive for SSA members) for likely the most comprehensive
description/assessment you can find in print. Almost certainly loss of control
in inadvertent IMC, resulting in pulling a wing off. FWIW, this was the 2nd
known-to-me spun-to-the-ground w. pilot still on-board, non-fatal 1-26
crunch...though this one appears to have come to rest in mature pine trees.
The other one was atop a nekkid Appalachian ridge. Neither PIC - so far as I'm
aware - was wearing a 'chute. Some might infer from these data that 1-26's are
the safest glider in which to spin-in...

Bob W.

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 6:36:41 AM UTC-7, Vaughn Simon wrote:
On 5/24/2016 10:22 AM, KAIO wrote:
is is really possible, practicable, to egress a 1-26 in flight?

Well, I've flown them, but never bailed out of one. I don't see why a
properly motivated pilot would have any particular problems though. If
it were me in a badly damaged I-26, I would certainly want the option to
try! One thing in your favor, your airspeed is likely to be low
compared to almost any other glider.

On the other hand, there is a case of a pilot walking away from a 1-26
crash after losing a wing at altitude! I'm obviously happy that it
turned out well, but doubtless that fellow was wishing for a chute all
the way down.

NTSB Identification: MIA97LA211 Accident occurred Saturday, July 12, 1997
in EUSTIS, FL Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/02/1998 Aircraft:
Schweizer SGS-1-26B, registration: N9927J Injuries: 1 Uninjured.