Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

California City, California
Sunday, September 5, 1982 14:12 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY GLIDER RACE INVOLVING 41 GLIDERS. SEVEN OR EIGHT GLIDERS WERE CIRCLING IN RIGHT TURNS IN A THERMAL AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME ALTITUDE WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE PLT OF THE VENTUS STATED HIS GLIDER BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE & HE SUCCESSFULLY BAILED OUT. THE PLT OF THE ASW-20 RETURNED TO THE CALIFORNIA CITY ARPT & LANDED OKAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1412
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CALIFORNIA CITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 95
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3197
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
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 #2

Aircraft Registration Number N214T N44MA
NTSB Number LAX82DA335A LAX82DA335B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHEMPP-HIRTH SCHLEICHER
Aircraft Model VENTUS ASW-20
Aircraft Series Identifier VENTUS ASW-20
Aircraft Serial Number 12 20-011
Certified Max Gross Weight 700 660
Aircraft Category Glider Glider
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1 1
Number of Engines 0 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 0
Airframe Hours 214 826
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES A. NEZGODA MICHAEL J. ADAMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 85 4935 W.121ST.
Aircraft Owner City GENOA HAWTHORNE
Aircraft Owner State NV CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89411 90250
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name JAMES A. NEZGODA MICHAEL J. ADAMS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 85 4935 W.121ST.
Operator City GENOA HAWTHORNE
Operator State NV CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89411 90250
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CALIFORNIA CITY CALIFORNIA CITY
Departure State CA CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 1330
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City CALIFORNIA CITY CALIFORNIA CITY
Destination State CA CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --