# Accident 19900902037599A: Sphrth NIMBUS2C, California City, CA, September 2, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 2, 1990, 17:35 local time
- Place: California City, CA
- Airport: California City Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1500° N, 117.9209° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1500&lon=-117.9209&mi=10
- Aircraft: N39285, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N39285-2012-11-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schempp-Hirth K.G. NIMBUS-2C (registry code 3801923, https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-k-g-nimbus-2c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SPHRTH NIMBUS2C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 450 total, 269 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90FA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90FA310) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900902037599A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

TOO LOW AND SLOW BEGAN OVERHEAD APPROACH,STALLED AND SPUN TO GROUND. COULD HAVE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD OF RUNWAY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX90FA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90FA310), Sep 3, 1990: Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS-2C (N39285), California City, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO EXECUTE THE RAPID CLIMBING TURN MANEUVER AT AN INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PREMATURE DUMPING OF THE GLIDER'S WATER BALLAST.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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