On Jan 30, 1:12*pm, BobW wrote:
What with it being mid-winter in the northern hemisphere, wouldn't it be
wonderful if the 2012 U.S. soaring-activity-year got off to a nice, safe
start? Especially with the SSA Convention coming up and in light of the
statistically dismal last two years...

Not gonna happen, folks. Per today's FAA preliminary accident/incident data,
we didn't make it through January without an injury-producing accident. (Sigh.)

Cut-n-paste follows...
- - - - - -
IDENTIFICATION
* *Regis#: 17873 * * * *Make/Model: SGS * * * Description: SCHWEIZER 2-33A GLIDER
* *Date: 01/28/2012 * * Time: 1715

* *Event Type: Accident * Highest Injury: Minor * * Mid Air: N * *Missing: N
* *Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
* *City: PEORIA * State: AZ * Country: US

DESCRIPTION
* *AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE DESERT.

INJURY DATA * * *Total Fatal: * 0
* * * * * * * * * # Crew: * 1 * * Fat: * 0 * * Ser: * 0 * * Min: * 1 * * Unk:
* * * * * * * * * # Pass: * 1 * * Fat: * 0 * * Ser: * 0 * * Min: * 1 * * Unk:
* * * * * * * * * # Grnd: * * * * Fat: * 0 * * Ser: * 0 * * Min: * 0 * * Unk:

OTHER DATA
* *Activity: Unknown * * *Phase: Landing * * *Operation: OTHER
- - - - - -
End of cut-n-paste...

For any U.S. readers inclined to blow this crunch off as "would never happen
to me" (regardless of rationale), the February, 2012, issue of "Soaring" mag
has additional food for thought in Bob Thompson's (Most Excellent) article
entitled "Life Altering Decisions - Another View".

Bob W.

Need to at least wait till initial NTSB report.
"Substantial" damage could easily be nothing but a dinged wing tip
that makes the glider not flyable.
Minor injury could be a scratch.
World isn't crashing down yet.
UH