Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minden, Nevada 89510
Friday, June 11, 2010 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that during cruise flight in the glider he encountered significant sinking air that prevented him from being able to make his destination glider port. He elected to make an off-field landing into a field. During the landing roll, the left wing contacted the ground and turned the glider to the left. During the turn, the glider's tail assembly separated from the fuselage. There was substantial damage to the tail structure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's encounter with an area of degraded lift during cruise flight, resulting in a forced off-airport landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Minden
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89510
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395512N
Event Location Longitude 1195126W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4300
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4415
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KRNO 111755Z 36013G19KT 10SM BKN055 14/M01 A
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27183
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 14 2010 8:42PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41KP
NTSB Number WPR10CA288
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 BURKHART GROB
Aircraft Model G103C TWIN III ACRO
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34176
Certified Max Gross Weight 1323
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 2
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 6 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1069
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SOARING ASSOCIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 26
Aircraft Owner City BYRON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94514-0026
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SOARING ASSOCIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 26
Operator City BYRON
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94514-0026
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Flanagan Dry Lk
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Minden
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 14 2010 8:42PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --