What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 17, 1998, at 1507 hours PDT, a pzl-bielsko model 50-3 glider, N7215L, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering 2 miles west of California City, California airport. The commercial licensed pilot and the airline transport licensed second pilot were fatally injured. Visualmeteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight which originated from California City about 1445. The pilot of another glider, flying about 4 miles from the accident location, reported his attention was drawn to the accident aircraft by the sun glistening off the wings as the aircraft spun, nose low, approximately three revolutions before impacting the desert floor. (.4) the purpose of the flight was to familarize the second pilot with a new type of glider that he had not previously flown. The first pilot was authorized to perform checkouts for the private flying club. The tow plane released the glider about 2 miles from the departure airport at 2,000 feet AGL. The pilot of another glider reported that his attention was attracted to the accident aircraft about 15 minutes later, when the glider was about 4 miles distant, by the sun glistening off the wings as the aircraft spun in a nose low attitude. It completed approximately three turns before impacting the ground. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 17, 1998, AT 1507 HOURS PDT, A PZL-BIELSKO MODEL 50-3 GLIDER, N7215L, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING 2 MILES WEST OF CALIFORNIA CITY, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT. THE COMMERCIAL LICENSED PILOT AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT LICENSED SECOND PILOT WERE FATALLY INJURED. VISUALMETEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM CALIFORNIA CITY ABOUT 1445. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER GLIDER, FLYING ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, REPORTED HIS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT BY THE SUN GLISTENING OFF THE WINGS AS THE AIRCRAFT SPUN, NOSE LOW, APPROXIMATELY THREE REVOLUTIONS BEFORE IMPACTING THE DESERT FLOOR. (.4) THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FAMILARIZE THE SECOND PILOT WITH A NEW TYPE OF GLIDER THAT HE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY FLOWN. THE FIRST PILOT WAS AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM CHECKOUTS FOR THE PRIVATE FLYING CLUB. THE TOW PLANE RELEASED THE GLIDER ABOUT 2 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AT 2,000 FEET AGL. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER GLIDER REPORTED THAT HIS ATTENTION WAS ATTRACTED TO THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, WHEN THE GLIDER WAS ABOUT 4 MILES DISTANT, BY THE SUN GLISTENING OFF THE WINGS AS THE AIRCRAFT SPUN IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. IT COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY THREE TURNS BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.