Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minden, Nevada 89423
Tuesady, July 12, 1988 14:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT WERE ASCENDING IN THE SAME THERMAL DURING NATIONAL SOARING COMPETITION AND COLLIDED IN FLIGHT. N554T SUSTAINED LOSS OF THE HORIZONTAL TAIL IN COLLISION, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT. THE PILOT PARACHUTED SAFELY. N130JB SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND LANDED SAFELY. PILOTS STATED THEY HAD LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MINDEN
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89423
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1457 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4845
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 935
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1555
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36944
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N554T N130JB
NTSB Number SEA88LA128A SEA88LA128B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schempp-Hirth Schempp-Hirth
Aircraft Model DISCUS B DISCUS A
Aircraft Series Identifier DISCUS B DISCUS A
Aircraft Serial Number 11 74
Certified Max Gross Weight 1157 1157
Aircraft Category Glider Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1 1
Number of Engines 0 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 2 1988 12:00AM Feb 25 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60 135
Airframe Hours 500 525
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name GRAHAM S. THOMSON JOHN M BYRD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1303 AVENIDA DE CORTEZ 6814 SKYLINE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PACIFIC PALISAD DELRAY BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90272 33446
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name GRAHAM S. THOMPSON JOHN M. BYRD
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 1303 AVENIDA DE CORTEZ 6814 SKYLINE DRIVE
Operator City PACIFIC PALISAD DEL RAY BEACH
Operator State CA FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90272 33446
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code MEV MEV
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215 1215
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MEV MEV
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --