Bend Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bend, Oregon 97701
Saturday, August 9, 2008 13:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the glider reported that he was taking a new glider club member for an introductory flight. He stated that the flight was "normal with good lift," and he was never more than 3 miles from the airport. On final approach about 3/4 miles from the runway threshold, the pilot felt the glider sink and noted that he was becoming too low to reach the runway. The terrain off the end of the runway was covered with juniper trees and sagebrush. He turned left to land off airport in the "only open spot." The left wing struck a tree, and the right wingtip then struck the ground. The right wing and the fuselage sustained structural damage. The pilot stated that from an altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level this glider "should be able to fly 3 miles, I lost 800 feet in less than 1/2 mile."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged distance/altitude which resulted in an undershoot while on final approach to land. Factors contributing to the accident were the lack of thermal lift (sinking air), and the lack of suitable terrain for the off-airport landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Bend
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97701
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 440540N
Event Location Longitude 1211201W
Event Location Airport Bend Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BDN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3080
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24238
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
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 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62345
NTSB Number LAX08CA262
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 LET
Aircraft Model Blanik L-13
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 027012
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 High Desert Soaring Club Inc.
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 Bend
Operator State OR
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 BDN
Departure City Bend
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BDN
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 4 2008 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 5200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --