Nichols Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jamul, California 92035
Sunday, August 14, 1983 14:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

REPORTEDLY, AFTER WAITING ALMOST 2 HRS, THE PLT DECIDED HE WOULD FLY THE SAILPLANE, EITHER FOR 1 HR OR UNTIL THE OWNER ARRIVED, WHEN THE OWNER ARRIVED, HE OBSERVED THE SAILPLANE FLYING BACK & FORTH ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF RIDGE AREA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF A RIDGE THAT SLOPED DOWNWARD TO THE NORTH AT ABOUT A 30 DEG ANGLE. ATHOUGH THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES, THE OWNER SAW THE SAILPLANE DISAPPEAR BEHIND A RIDGE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SIDE. DURING IMPACT, THE SAILPLANE STRUCK A TREE, APRX 12 FT TALL, & BROKE IT IN HALF. IT CAME TO REST ON TREES & BRUSH WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE NOSE & COCKPIT AREAS. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE SAILPLANE WAS FOUND. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED IN AN AREA KNOWN TO HAVE PERIODS OF HIGH SINK. THE PLT WAS A NAVAL AVIATOR WITH ONLY ABOUT 3.4 HRS FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/14/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City JAMUL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92035
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NICHOLS FIELD
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 160
Airport Elevation 520
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1445 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID SDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 524
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 3298
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2788
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23083
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 N2941H
NTSB Number LAX83FA386
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model SGS 1-35C
Aircraft Series Identifier SGS 1-35C
Aircraft Serial Number 91
Certified Max Gross Weight 660
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 1 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 306
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD A. FAULHABER JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 520 E. STREET, SUITE 710
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92101
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City JAMUL
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Descent
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 27
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --