Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Odessa, Texas 79762
Saturday, July 15, 1995 15:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE 'ENCOUNTERED [A] STRONG SINK AND ASSOCIATED WINDSHEAR TURBULENCE', WHILE ON A BASE LEG TURN FOR LANDING. DURING THE TURN TO FINAL, THE 'GLIDER'S RIGHT WING DROPPED [AND] THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN [RESULTING] IN A STALL/SPIN.' DURING RECOVERY FROM THE SPIN, THE GLIDER'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A FENCE. TWO WITNESSES OBSERVED THE GLIDER 'CARTWHEEL' FOLLOWING CONTACT WITH THE FENCE. BOTH WINGS, AND THE TAIL SECTION WERE FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED REQUIRED FOR FLIGHT, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AT LOW ALTITUDE. A FACTOR WAS THE WINDSHEAR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ODESSA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79762
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2802
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 961
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88966
NTSB Number FTW95LA299
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SLINGSBY
Aircraft Model T-51
Aircraft Series Identifier T-51
Aircraft Serial Number 1437
Certified Max Gross Weight 780
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 20 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1075
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRACY L. CLINKENBEARD, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6302 NORTH DIXIE BOULEVARD
Aircraft Owner City ODESSA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79762
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code E02
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --