Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tatum, New Mexico 88267
Sunday, July 7, 1985 17:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT 7 MILES SW OF TATUM, NM, AN AREA OF 'SINK' WAS ENCOUNTERED AND INSUFFICIENT ALT REMAINED TO GLIDE TO THE TATUM ARPT. AN APCH WAS THEN MADE (INTO THE SUN) FOR A LANDING IN A FLD. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE PLT NOTICED A ROW OF FENCE POSTS IN THE FLT PATH. AFRAID ONE OF THE FENCE WIRES WOULD CUT THROUGH THE COCKPIT, THE PLT PULLED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE FENCE. THE ACFT STALLED AT AN ALT OF APRX 6 FT AGL AND CONTACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TATUM
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88267
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
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 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2345 GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID HOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3659
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation GMT
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1470
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28841
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4203Y
NTSB Number DEN85FQG01
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 ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER
Aircraft Model LS-4
Aircraft Series Identifier LS-4
Aircraft Serial Number 4008
Certified Max Gross Weight 1041
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 16 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 600
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BECKY RACKLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 6564
Aircraft Owner City ODESSA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79767
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 HOB
Departure City HOBBS
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1242
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --