El Mirage Sky Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Mirage, California 92392
Sunday, April 15, 1984 14:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS 1/2 MI FROM THE RWY AT 835 FT AGL, HIS AIRSPEED WAS 70 KTS. WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 400 FT AGL, HIS AIRSPEED FLICKERED 3 TIMES TO ZERO. THE 3RD TIME, IT STAYED AT ZERO & THE GLIDER DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE REPORTED WIND 11 MI EAST WAS 160 DEG AT 10 KTS GUSTING 18 KTS. THE REPORTED WIND 22 MI NW WAS 160 DEG AT 1 KT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT AT THE ARPT, THE WINDSOCK ON TOP OF A LARGEHANGER INDICATED THE WIND WAS FROM 070 DEG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City EL MIRAGE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92392
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL MIRAGE SKY RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L69
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 2865
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1355 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID VCV
Elevation of weather observation facility 2875
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 734
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24439
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 N222PK
NTSB Number LAX84LA262
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 MOLINO OY
Aircraft Model PIK-20B
Aircraft Series Identifier PIK-20B
Aircraft Serial Number 20027
Certified Max Gross Weight 880
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 Feb 25 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOLFGANG K. WIRTHGEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10112 MERRIMAC DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HUNTINGTON BCH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92646
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 1140
Departure Time Zone PST
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 Approach
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 7
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --