Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sierraville, California 96126
Monday, July 30, 1990 13:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A GLIDER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY LIFT GENERATION AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A MEADOW. DURING THE APPROACH HIS RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND PITCHED DOWN. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT REPORTED NO FLIGHT CONTROL PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID A TREE DURING HIS LANDING APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SIERRAVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96126
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1345
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1119
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1511
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42338
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9646Z
NTSB Number LAX90DXQ02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LEFFLER/MCFARLANE
Aircraft Model LM-1
Aircraft Series Identifier LM-1
Aircraft Serial Number LM-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 630
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 400
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. MEYER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12116A MCCOURTNEY RD.
Aircraft Owner City GRASS VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95949
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 No
Departure Airport Code TRK
Departure City TRUCKEE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PST
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 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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --