Bryant Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgeport, California 93517
Thursday, July 5, 2007 16:17 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The glider landed short of the runway after encountering unfavorable wind conditions. According to the pilot and data retrieved from an on-board data recorder, heavy sink was experienced while the pilot maneuvered in the pattern to land, which reduced the glide ratio from 50:1 to 10:1. With inadequate altitude to compensate for the sink, the glider impacted a berm in the rough terrain several hundred feet short of the runway, whereupon it nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's encounter with an unfavorable wind and high sink rate conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1617
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Bridgeport
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93517
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381522N
Event Location Longitude 1191324W
Event Location Airport Bryant Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O57
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6468
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 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22150
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2007 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Reno, NV

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11YD
NTSB Number LAX07CA206
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schempp-Hirth
Aircraft Model Ventus-2C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 76
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 Dean A. Aldinger
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
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? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Citrus Heights
Operator State CA
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 No
Departure Airport Code TRK
Departure City Truckee
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code O57
Destination City Bridgeport
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 8 2007 5:57PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 4239
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --