Lone Pine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lone Pine, California 93545
Sunday, July 18, 2004 15:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The glider collided with a tree during landing, and the right wing was torn from the fuselage. After clearing a set of power lines, the glider was 15 feet agl. The pilot saw a tree, and the glider drifted to the right of the runway centerline. He misjudged the clearance between the tree and the wing, and a collision occurred. The glider spun 270 degrees from its original flight path before coming to rest. The pilot recommended flying a higher approach to prevent future accidents. The pilot noted no mechanical malfunctions with the glider prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot failed to maintain runway alignment, and misjudged the clearance between the tree and the wing resulting in a collision with the tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Lone Pine
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93545
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 363518N
Event Location Longitude 1180307W
Event Location Airport Lone Pine
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O26
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 --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16383
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO-LAS

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19SZ
NTSB Number LAX04CA270
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 PDPS PZL-BIELSKO
Aircraft Model SZD-50-3
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number B2115
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 Associated Glider Clubs of Southern California,Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City 4340 Aragon Way
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 No
Departure Airport Code O26
Departure City Lone Pine
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code O26
Destination City Lone Pine
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2004 2:21PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --