# Incident 19970809028699I: Szd SZD41A, Warner Springs, CA, August 9, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 9, 1997, 16:15 local time
- Place: Warner Springs, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2823° N, 116.6336° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Warner Springs, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2823&lon=-116.6336&mi=10
- Aircraft: N42BD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42BD-2003-07-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Szybowcowy Zaklad Doswiadczaln 41A JANTAR STANDARD (registry code 8821641, https://openairdocs.org/model/szybowcowy-zaklad-doswiadczaln-41a-jantar-standard) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SZD SZD41A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 695 total, 550 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970809028699I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: ON AUGUST 9, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 1615 PDT, STEPHEN J. BRALLA LANDED AT THE WARNER SPRINGS, CA AIRPORT IN N42BD, A SZYBOWCOWY ZAKLAD DOSWIADCZ MODEL SZD-41-A GLIDER. AS THE GLIDER TOUCHED DOWN, THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER/ELEVATOR ASSEMBLE DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE GLIDER THEN CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 10-15 FEET AND AGAIN SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE NOSE AREA AND THE TAIL WHEEL OF N42BD. BRALLA, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. NO FIRE RESULTED. INSPECTION BY THE PILOT INDICATED THAT A 12" TO 14" LOCKING PIN WAS MISSING AND COULD NOT BE LOCATED IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. THIS PIN FITS INTO THE TOP OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AFTER INSTALLING THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND IS LOCKED IN PLACE BY ROTATING THIS PIN AFTER INSERTING IT FULLY INTO THE MOUNTING ATTACHMENTS. THE LOCKING DEVICE IS A PIECE OF SPRING STEEL THAT FITS INTO A GROOVE ON THE PIN WHEN IT IS ROTATED IN A LOCKED POSITION. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DOES REMEMBER INSTALLING THE PIN, BUT THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE INSERTED IT FULLY OR HE MAY NOT HAVE ROTATED IT COMPLETELY SO AS TO ENGAGE THE LOCKING DEVICE. A MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT WILL BE FILED. THIS INCIDENT DID NOT INVOLVE A NMAC OR A PILOT DEVIATION.

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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