Truckee-Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Truckee, California 95734
Tuesady, August 17, 1993 15:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT FAILED TO DISCOVER A FRAYED TOW RELEASE CABLE DURING THE PREFLIGHT CHECK. THE CABLE WAS BINDING WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT HIS TAKEOFF. THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE GLIDER AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CONDUCT ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT CHECKS WHICH RESULTED IN THE GLIDER TAKING OFF WITH A FRAYED RELEASE HOOK CABLE, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, AND THE INADVERTENT STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TRUCKEE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95734
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRUCKEE-TAHOE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TRK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1535 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID TRK
Elevation of weather observation facility 5900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 1433
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N205AS
NTSB Number LAX93LA326
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 PILATUS
Aircraft Model B4-PC11AF
Aircraft Series Identifier B4-PC11AF
Aircraft Serial Number 264
Certified Max Gross Weight 770
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMES SOARING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8638 PATTERSON PASS RD
Aircraft Owner City LIVERMORE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94550
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 TRK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code TRK
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 19
Runway Length 4650
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --