Truckee-Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Truckee, California 95734
Saturday, September 22, 1990 18:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A SELF LAUNCHED POWERED GLIDER PERFORMED AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE SPOILER PRIOR TO LANDING. THE RIGHT HAND SPOILER REMAINED DEPLOYED AFTER RETRACTION RESULTING IN AN ASYMMETRICAL LIFT CONDITION. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE CONTROL QUICK DISCONNECT SPRING PIN HAD NOT BEEN FITTED INTO THE CONTROL HOLE AS RECOMMENDED WHICH RESULTED IN THE QUICK DISCONNECT TO THE SPOILER DISCONNECTING FROM THE RIGHT HAND SPOILER ROD END BALL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE UNCOMMANDED DEPLOYMENT OF THE RIGHT SPOILER SYSTEM DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF A SPRING PIN NOT FITTED TO THE QUICK DISCONNECT AS RECOMMENDED WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT LOSING CONTROL OF THE GLIDER DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TRUCKEE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95734
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5900
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 8000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 6000
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) 1134
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42353
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N567DA
NTSB Number LAX90DXQ05
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 400/17
Aircraft Series Identifier DG 400/17
Aircraft Serial Number 4-39
Certified Max Gross Weight 1058
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 6 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 365
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD RAY ANTELMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1391 CANDELERO DR.
Aircraft Owner City WALNUT CREEK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 19
Runway Length 4650
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --