Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Crystal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wrightwood, California 92397
Saturday, March 15, 2014 11:00 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was for him to take his cousin, the sole passenger, around the local ski area. After departure, the glider was towed to about 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) and adjacent to the ski area. The pilot maneuvered the glider in a 300-degree turn to the right and realized that he was at a lower altitude than the ridge. He continued toward the ridge in an effort to gain lift off of the canyons. As the glider continued to lose altitude, it descended below 6,000 feet msl and the pilot began to look for terrain that would be favorable for an off-airport landing. After deciding on a location, the pilot deployed the airbrakes and with the glider about 10 to 15 feet above ground level (agl), he intentionally stalled. The glider mushed into the ground with little horizontal speed. During the accident sequence the glider incurred substantial damage to the tail boom and wings.
The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision to maneuver the glider where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, resulting in an off airport landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/15/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wrightwood |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92397 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 342229N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1174136E |
| Event Location Airport | CRYSTAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 46CN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5641 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 317 |
| Airport Elevation | 3420 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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 |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32732 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2014 3:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N624RM |
| NTSB Number | WPR14CA138 |
| 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 | DG FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH |
| Aircraft Model | DG 1000S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | NO SERIES |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 10-129S82 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1653 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 6 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1680 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SOARING ACADEMY INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LLANO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 935440238 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SOARING ACADEMY INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | LLANO |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 935440238 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 46CN |
| Departure City | Llano |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1045 |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 46CN |
| Destination City | Llano |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2014 3:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |