Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taos, New Mexico 87571
Saturday, June 16, 1984 15:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE WINDS INCREASED DURING A FLT IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA & THE THERMAL UPDRAFTS 'BROKE UP.' WHILE GLIDING BACK TO THE ARPT, HE ENCOUNTERED SINKING AIR & WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON ROUGH, SAGE BRUSH COVERED, TERRAIN. THIS WAS THE PLT'S FIRST FLT IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA AT HIGH ELEVATIONS. THE PLT SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK THREE FLTS WITH A LOCAL PLT EXPERIENCED IN MOUNTAINOUS FLYING. HE SUGGESTED THIS TYPE OF TRAINING FOR PLTS WITH NO PREVIOUS MOUNTAINOUS FLYING EXPERIENCE BEFORE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 7090 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TAOS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87571
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 6
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 90
Airport Elevation 7091
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 9200
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) 909
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24644
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 N30118
NTSB Number DEN84LA183
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Scheibe Flugzeugbau
Aircraft Model ZUGVOGEL IIIB
Aircraft Series Identifier ZUGVOGEL I
Aircraft Serial Number 1102
Certified Max Gross Weight 805
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 19 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 100
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY HUNGERFORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17103 CLAY RD
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SKX
Departure City TAOS
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1510
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 --