Sky Soaring Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fremont, California 94538
Thursday, September 26, 1991 12:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. HE STATED HE MADE A NORMAL PATTERN ENTRY AND TURNED BASE AT THE STANDARD 45 DEGREE POINT. ON BASE, HE OPENED THE SPOILERS ABOUT 20%. AS HE TURNED FINAL AND LINED UP WITH THE RUNWAY, HE SAID HE COULD SEE THAT HIS GLIDE SLOPE WOULD TAKE HIM BEYOND THE WHITE LINE, AND WAS EXPECTING TO ADD MORE SPOILERS AS HE GOT CLOSER. THIS CHANGED ABRUPTLY, AS HE WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNWASH CAUSED BY BUILDINGS ON THE APPROACH PATH. CLOSING THE DIVE BRAKES WAS OF LITTLE HELP. REALIZING HE COULD NOT MAKE THE ALTITUDE BACK, HE TURNED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND LANDED IN A SMALL ROUGH FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE RIGHT WING CAUGHT AND THE SAILPLANE GROUNDLOOPED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE PREVAILING WIND CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FREMONT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94538
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY SOARING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4CA7
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 12
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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) 1672
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45549
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4113G
NTSB Number LAX91LA408
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 Burkhart Grob
Aircraft Model G103
Aircraft Series Identifier G103
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKY SOARING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 44999 CHRISTY ST.
Aircraft Owner City FREMONT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94538
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKY SOARING
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 44999 CHRISTY ST.
Operator City FREMONT
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94538
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 1225
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 Approach
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 28
Runway Length 1900
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --