Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Calistoga, California 94515
Saturday, October 4, 1986 13:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE END OF A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT NEAR CLISTOGA, CLAIFORNIA, THE PILOT STATED THE NOSE OF HIS GLIDER WAS PUSHED DOWN WHILE ON BASE LEG AT CALISTAGA AIRPARK. DUE TO A LOSS IN ALTITUDE TO INCREASE AIRSPEED, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY. A FORCED LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED IN A NEARBY PLOWED FIELD; HOWEVER, A ROW OF TREES WAS IN THE WAY WHICH THE PILOT THOUGHT HE COULD PORPOISE OVER. THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND STALLED INTO THE FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD OBTAINED HIS WEATHER INFORMATION FROM OTHER PILOTS WHO WERE FLYING IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CALISTOGA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94515
Event Date Year 1986
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
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 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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1106
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31448
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N914G
NTSB Number LAX87LA006
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 Burkhart Grob
Aircraft Model G103 TWIN II
Aircraft Series Identifier G103 TWIN
Aircraft Serial Number 3747
Certified Max Gross Weight 1279
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 4 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 1089
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SILVERADO SOARING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 296
Aircraft Owner City LA HONDA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94020
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLINT A. NELSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 760 CLIPPER ST.
Operator City SAN FRANCISCO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94114
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 058
Departure City CALISTOGA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --