Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Crazy Creek Glider Port Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Middletown, California 95461
Friday, April 12, 2013 13:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during his return to the airport, the glider encountered heavy downdrafts. Unable to reach the airport, he executed an off-airport landing to a field. During the landing on rough terrain, the glider ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail and wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The glider’s encounter with atmospheric lift conditions not sufficient to maintain flight, which resulted in a forced landing on rough terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/12/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Middletown |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95461 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384619N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1223431W |
| Event Location Airport | Crazy Creek Glider Port |
| 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 | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1000 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 35 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSTS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 118 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 22 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | UTC |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| 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) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSTS 121953Z 16003KT 10SM SCT250 21/09 A2988 |
| 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) | 31437 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot (6120.1 mailed into the |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 6 2013 11:26AM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N503CW |
| NTSB Number | WPR13CA218 |
| 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 | SCHLEICHER |
| Aircraft Model | ASW-27 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27165 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 0 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 30 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1164 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WESTERINEN CHARLES J |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | CARMICHAEL |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95608-0642 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WESTERINEN CHARLES J |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | CARMICHAEL |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 95608-0642 |
| 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) | Glider Tow |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Middletown |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Middletown |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 6 2013 11:26AM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |