Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Borrego Springs, California 92004
Saturday, October 15, 1988 13:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE THERMAL SOARING, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP SPINNING DESCENT, THREE TURNS TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWED BY TWO TURNS TO THE LEFT AND GROUND IMPACT IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OR CONTROL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT'S PARTNER IN OWNERSHIP OF THE GLIDER AND LONG-TIME CLOSE FRIEND STATED THAT HE HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A SPIN IN THE AIRCRAFT SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER. HE INDICATED THAT HE HAD TROUBLE RECOVERING FROM IT, SPEED BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE AND HE COULD NOT RECOVER FROM IT UNTIL FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE CONTROL STICK WAS PUSHED FULL FORWARD. ALTHOUGH THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND WITH THE SPEED BRAKES RETRACTED AND FLAPS EXTENDED ABOUT 10 DEGREES, BOTH SYSTEMS DISPLAYED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHAT THEIR PRE-IMPACT POSITIONS WERE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BORREGO SPRINGS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92004
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1888
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38135
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N252JB
NTSB Number LAX89DUM01
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 ARLINGTON
Aircraft Model SISU 1A
Aircraft Series Identifier SISU 1A
Aircraft Serial Number 105
Certified Max Gross Weight 765
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 Apr 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 1628
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERAN, LYNDA G
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2574 SUMAC DR.
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92105
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BERAN, LYNDA G.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 285 MOSS STREET #97
Operator City CHULA VISTA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92011
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 L08
Departure City BORREGO SPRING
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Maneuvering
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 --