Minden-Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minden, Nevada 89423
Sunday, August 22, 2010 15:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot completed a one-hour local flight and entered the traffic pattern for the destination airport. He decided to maneuver the glider with a higher airspeed because of strong gusty wind and turbulence. With use of the airbrakes, he landed about 300 feet down the runway. The nosewheel touched down first and the glider bounced; then the tailwheel touched down and the glider bounced again. This cycle repeated twice despite the pilot’s attempts to control it with elevator. The pilot was not aware that the glider sustained substantial damage to the empennage until he exited the cockpit.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s inadequate flare and bounced landing recovery technique that resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Minden
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89423
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390004N
Event Location Longitude 1194507W
Event Location Airport Minden-Tahoe
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MEV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4722
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KRNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4415
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27554
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP 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 Sep 29 2010 5:47PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N794G
NTSB Number WPR10CA422
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 G-103A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34007-K-240
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 2
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Soar Minden, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Minden
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89423
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Soar Minden, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Minden
Operator State NV
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 89423
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MEV
Departure City Minden
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MEV
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 Sep 29 2010 5:47PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 5300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --