Air Sailing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89515
Sunday, June 14, 1987 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE SOARING, THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED IN THE AREA. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE LANDING FIELD, ENCOUNTERING TURBULENCE AND GUSTY WINDS. ON LANDING ROLL, GUSTY WINDS CAUSED THE SINGLE-WHEEL GLIDER TO DRIFT INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. SURFACE WINDS REPORTED AT RENO AIRPORT (30 MILES EAST), ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WERE 240 DEGREES AT 20 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RENO
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89515
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AIR SAILING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 4300
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 508
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33569
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3616F
NTSB Number SEA87LA117
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS 1-36
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-36
Aircraft Serial Number 7
Certified Max Gross Weight 1210
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 2
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 555
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERNARD S. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1019 WHITMER CT
Aircraft Owner City FREMONT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94538
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BERNARD S. SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1019 WHITMER
Operator City FREMONT
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94538
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 1400
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 Landing
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 --