Uvalde/Garner Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Uvalde, Texas 78801
Sunday, July 30, 2000 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The experimental glider struck the ground short of the runway when it encountered adverse weather conditions during the final approach. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight; however, a thunderstorm moved north-south across the airport during the time of the accident. The glider encountered moderate to severe turbulence associated with the thunderstorm, and the pilot initiated an off field landing. During the off airport landing, the right wing contacted brush, and the airplane groundlooped.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions which resulted in a forced landing. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City UVALDE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78801
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport UVALDE/GARNER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UVA
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 941
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 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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) 342
NTSB Notification Source Owner/Operator
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6ZF
NTSB Number FTW00LA220
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 AERO TEK, INC.
Aircraft Model ZUNI
Aircraft Series Identifier ZUNI
Aircraft Serial Number 6
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 7 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 364
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK R. DOHERTY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1909 SOUTH ELLIOTT STREET
Aircraft Owner City PRYOR
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74361
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 UVA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 5255
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --