Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Warner Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Warner Springs, California 92086
Saturday, May 30, 2009 16:30 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After being towed to altitude, the pilot of the glider began soaring above a mountain peak. After making several circular passes over the peak the glider began to descend, and the pilot initiated a turn to an adjacent ridge. As he passed over the ridge, he felt the glider sink and he initiated a descending right turn. During the turn, the pilot felt the glider "jolt" and yaw to the left. He verified that the flight controls functioned correctly, and initiated an uneventful straight-in approach and landing at the departure airport. Postaccident inspection revealed damage consistent with an in-flight collision with a tree. The glider sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and aileron during the collision.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree while maneuvering in flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/30/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Warner Springs |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92086 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 331828N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1163502W |
| Event Location Airport | Warner Springs |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CL35 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2885 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1613 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RNM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1395 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 26 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25585 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA FSDO San Diego |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 17 2009 5:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5826V |
| NTSB Number | WPR09CA272 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SCHWEIZER |
| Aircraft Model | SGS 2-32 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1430 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 3 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 9344 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SKY SAILING INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 31930 HIGHWAY 79 |
| Aircraft Owner City | WARNER SPRINGS |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92086-9625 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SKY SAILING INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 31930 HIGHWAY 79 |
| Operator City | WARNER SPRINGS |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 92086-9625 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CL35 |
| Departure City | Warner Springs |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1615 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | CL35 |
| Destination City | Warner Springs |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 17 2009 5:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 4700 |
| Runway Width | 70 |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |