Douglas County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minden, Nevada 89423
Friday, May 24, 1991 17:46 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING IN A MOTORIZED GLIDER ON THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT IN THE LOCAL AREA. THE GLIDER'S ENGINE IS A MODIFIED SNOW MOBILE DESIGN AND IS STOWABLE. AT ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE GLIDER TOWARD AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE EMPENNAGE STRUCK THE EDGE OF A DITCH, SEVERING THE TAIL ASSEMBLY. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. AFTER THE FIRST FLIGHT, THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE ENGINE CARBURETOR MAIN AND IDLE JETS TO A LEAN FUEL/AIR MIXTURE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A HOLE IN THE TOP OF ONE OF THE CYLINDER PISTONS. THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE IS SET AT THE FACTORY AND IS ONLY TO BE ADJUSTED BY TRAINED PERSONNEL OR AN AVIATION MECHANIC.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENGINE FAILURE PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT IMPROPERLY ADJUSTING THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE JET.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1746
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MINDEN
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89423
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOUGLAS COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MEV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4718
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 9000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44852
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N503V
NTSB Number LAX91LA229
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 GLASER-DIRKS
Aircraft Model DG-500M
Aircraft Series Identifier DG-500M
Aircraft Serial Number 5E24M12
Certified Max Gross Weight 1819
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 12
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEDDINGS T. ROBINSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 94273 WEDDERBURN LOOP RD.
Aircraft Owner City WEDDERBURN
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97491
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEDDINGS T. ROBINSON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 94273 WEDDERBURN LOOP RD.
Operator City WEDDERBURN
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97491
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 5289
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --