Elmirage Sky Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phelan, California 92371
Sunday, June 26, 1983 15:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A LOCAL FLT, THERMAL ACTIVITY DECREASED, SO THE GLIDER PLT HEADED BACK TO THE ARPT. ON THE WAY BACK, HE ENCOUNTED AN AREA OF SINKING AIR & LOST 1500 TO 2000 FT OF ALT. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE LEFT WING HIT A DIRT SHOULDER BESIDE THE ROAD & THE GLIDER GROUND LOOPED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PHELAN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92371
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELMIRAGE SKY RANCH
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 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation 2865
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 5
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 6100
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) 1538
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21873
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5743S
NTSB Number LAX83LA347
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS 1-26B
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-26B
Aircraft Serial Number 391
Certified Max Gross Weight 600
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 1171
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY M. NAKATANI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5432 JEFFERSON STREET
Aircraft Owner City YORBA LINDA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92686
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code L69
Departure City ELMIRAGE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
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 25
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --