Warner Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Warner Springs, California 92806
Sunday, April 20, 1986 14:43 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER LS-4 GLIDER AND AN LTV A7E JET COLLIDED OVER HOT SPRINGS MTN, NEAR WARNER SPRINGS, CA. THE A7E WAS ATTEMPTING A RAPID PULL UP AND THE GLIDER WAS ATTEMPTING A NOSE DOWN, 30 DEG RIGHT TURN WHEN THEY COLLIDED. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLT RULES AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NEITHER PILOT WAS INJURED. THE GLIDER LEFT WING OUTBD 3 FT SECTION WAS SEVERED. THE A7E NOSE COWLING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE ENGINE INGESTED EXTENSIVE FIBERGLASS MATERIAL. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE A7E WAS EXECUTING A SOUTHBOUND TURN ON VR 1257 AND WAS WITHIN THE ROUTE WIDTH (4 NM); THE GLIDER WAS ATTEMPTING TO GAIN LIFT ON THE WEST SIDE OF HOT SPRINGS MTN AND WAS WITHIN VR 1257 ROUTE STRUCTURE. THE A7E PLT HAD INFORMED THE NECESSARY FLT SERV STATIONS THAT THE ROUTE WAS ACTIVE; THE GLIDER PLT HAD NOT CONTACTED THE FLT SERV STATIONS TO DETERMINE IF THE ROUTE WAS ACTIVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1443
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City WARNER SPRINGS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92806
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WARNER SPRINGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L20
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 6
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation 2885
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID NKX
Elevation of weather observation facility 477
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1079
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31421
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 #2

Aircraft Registration Number USN N50EH
NTSB Number LAX86MA186A LAX86MA186B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LTV AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES Rolladen-Schneider
Aircraft Model A7E LS-4
Aircraft Series Identifier A7E LS-4
Aircraft Serial Number 160858 4134
Certified Max Gross Weight 34000 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane Glider
Aircraft Registration Class Military 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 1 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1985 12:00AM Feb 22 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96 17
Airframe Hours 3164 781
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED STATES NAVY JAMES K. GARNER & STANLEY FOAT
Aircraft Owner Street Address VA27 F.P.O. 292 S. VINEDO AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SAN FRANCISCO PASADENA
Aircraft Owner State CA CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 966016204 91107
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Unknown Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code NKX HMT
Departure City SAN DIEGO HEMET
Departure State CA CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1227 1300
Departure Time Zone PST PST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LEMORE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24 25
Runway Length 12000 5000
Runway Width 200 90
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --