Truckee-Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Truckee, California 96161
Monday, August 28, 2006 16:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot became hypoxic during the flight and attempted to land at an airport. During the landing attempt, he overshot the runway and landed in a nearby field. According to the pilot, he was aloft in the glider for 4 hours at altitudes in excess of 10,000 feet mean sea level. During the flight he began to experience symptoms of hypoxia. He attempted to land at Truckee but overshot the runway and landed in a field beyond the runway. The pilot suspected that the cannula-type oxygen system in the glider may have not been supplying adequate oxygen because he was breathing through his mouth.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudged landing approach that led to a runway overshoot. A contributing factor was the pilot's hypoxic condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/2006
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Truckee
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96161
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 391912N
Event Location Longitude 1200822W
Event Location Airport Truckee-Tahoe Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TRK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5900
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 10
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 Docket Number (internal use) 20751
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 Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N302N
NTSB Number LAX06CA278
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Glaser Dirks
Aircraft Model DG 300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3E15
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Leroy Stowers
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name On File
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Minden
Operator State NV
Operator Country USA
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 TRK
Departure City Truckee
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 TRK
Destination City Truckee-Tahoe
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 4 2006 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 4650
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --