Glider pilot at too low an altitude over ski area.

Attributes
ACN	116037
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc airport : 36u
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 780 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	116036
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During ridge flying the aircraft stated was flying on mountain ridges using mixed thermal and ridge soaring technique. In order for this to be workable, descent below 500' AGL (11,800-900 MSL) was necessary. Upon returning to heber valley airport. I was notified that snowbird ski area had notified them of low flying gliders causing concern. Gliders often fly directly over and along ridges to make use of the lift and 2 other gliders of the same type were flying at the same or below altitude. All gliders involved (3 total) returned safely for landing at heber valley upon reaching sufficient altitude to clear intervening ridges and mountains. No further corrective action is felt necessary, except addressal of FAA of need of gliders to fly in attitudes, and altitudes in closer proximity to terrain than would normally be done in powered aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLIDER PLT AT TOO LOW AN ALT OVER SKI AREA.

Narrative: DURING RIDGE FLYING THE ACFT STATED WAS FLYING ON MOUNTAIN RIDGES USING MIXED THERMAL AND RIDGE SOARING TECHNIQUE. IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE WORKABLE, DSCNT BELOW 500' AGL (11,800-900 MSL) WAS NECESSARY. UPON RETURNING TO HEBER VALLEY ARPT. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT SNOWBIRD SKI AREA HAD NOTIFIED THEM OF LOW FLYING GLIDERS CAUSING CONCERN. GLIDERS OFTEN FLY DIRECTLY OVER AND ALONG RIDGES TO MAKE USE OF THE LIFT AND 2 OTHER GLIDERS OF THE SAME TYPE WERE FLYING AT THE SAME OR BELOW ALT. ALL GLIDERS INVOLVED (3 TOTAL) RETURNED SAFELY FOR LNDG AT HEBER VALLEY UPON REACHING SUFFICIENT ALT TO CLEAR INTERVENING RIDGES AND MOUNTAINS. NO FURTHER CORRECTIVE ACTION IS FELT NECESSARY, EXCEPT ADDRESSAL OF FAA OF NEED OF GLIDERS TO FLY IN ATTITUDES, AND ALTS IN CLOSER PROX TO TERRAIN THAN WOULD NORMALLY BE DONE IN POWERED ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.