Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vacaville, California 95688
Saturday, September 24, 1988 18:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT FLEW OVER A FIELD AT 700 FT. A.G.L. TO SEE IF IT WAS SAFE FOR LANDING. HE TURNED THE GLIDER TO ESTABLISH A DOWNWIND LEG. HE THEN TURNED TO THE BASE LEG. WHILE TURNING ONTO FINAL APPROACH AT A LOW ALTITUDE, THE GLIDER PITCHED UP AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WINGTIP COLLIDED WITH THE FIELD. THE GLIDER ROTATED 180 DEGREES AND COLLIDED WITH THE FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM, HOWEVER, THE WINDS AT FAIRFIELD, CA, 13 MILES SE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 240 DEGREES AT 24 KNOTS GUSTING TO 28 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VACAVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95688
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
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 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 290
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID SUU
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 24
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 28
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) 663
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1041
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36530
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N101LV
NTSB Number LAX88LA328
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 CENTRAIR
Aircraft Model 101
Aircraft Series Identifier 101
Aircraft Serial Number 61P076080633
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
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 VACAVILLE AERO SERVICES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5730 RIVERA ROAD
Aircraft Owner City VACAVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95688
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 045
Departure City VACAVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --