Air Sailing Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sparks, Nevada 89433
Wednesday, June 23, 2004 16:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The glider landed short of runway and impacted terrain. While turning onto base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot noticed a significant decrease in ground speed, which he attributed to being the result of a strong headwind. Just before turning onto final approach, about 400 feet agl, the glider experienced an increase in sink rate and a decrease in airspeed (about 5 to 10 knots indicated airspeed). He lowered the nose in an effort to increase the airspeed and counteract the sink, but the glider continued toward the ground. Just before impacting the ground in a nose low attitude, the pilot pulled back on the stick in an effort to pitch the nose up and cushion the impact. The glider collided with terrain in a flat attitude. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance resulting in an undershoot of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/2004
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Sparks
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89433
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395219N
Event Location Longitude 1194203W
Event Location Airport Air Sailing Gliderport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NV23
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16144
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2874H
NTSB Number LAX04CA246
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model 1-35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 54
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dave Prather and Robert Spielman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Reno
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Michael Spielman
Operator Same as Owner? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NV23
Departure City Sparks
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NV23
Destination City Sparks
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 8 2004 3:32PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --