Bishop Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bishop, California 93526
Sunday, April 26, 1992 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURBULENCE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE TURBULENCE BUCKLED THE WINGS, CRACKED THE FUSELAGE, EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR AND RENDERED THE FLAPS INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY PLAN THE NO-FLAP LANDING APPROACH AND INADVERTENTLY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. THE GLIDER OVERSHOT THE POINT OF INTENDED LANDING AND SLID INTO A RAVINE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED NO-FLAP LANDING APPROACH; FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST; AND INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE BUCKLING OF THE WING SKIN, CRACKING OF THE FUSELAGE AND THE INOPERATIVE FLAPS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BISHOP
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93526
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BISHOP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BIH
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 4120
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1998
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46737
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97DT
NTSB Number LAX92LA192
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 Laister
Aircraft Model NUGGET
Aircraft Series Identifier NUGGET
Aircraft Serial Number N-14
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 12 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 353
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REILLY, JOHN D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, BOX 58
Aircraft Owner City BISHOP
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93514
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name REILLY, JOHN D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 1, BOX 58
Operator City BISHOP
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93514
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 BIH
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Cruise
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 16
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --