What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) No witnesses were available that saw the entire event of this accident. Aircraft was at approx 300 to 400 ft. AGL, flying base to runway 27, airspeed was low. Pilot initiated a turn to the right (parallel to runway 27) early, due to lack of enough airspeed to reach runway 27, while preparing to land in the field north of runway 27. During this turn to the right, the aircraft went into a stall and crashed in the field north of runway 27. Aircraft sustained major wing and fuselage damage. Pilot survived the crash, and later died at the Tehachapi hospital, approx 3 hours later from heart failure. (.4) the glider was observed to continue in a 360-degree turn until it impacted the ground after it made the downwind to base turn for landing. A witness reported having a conversation with the pilot 2 days prior to the accident. The pilot stated to the witness that the flight had gone well and there were no problems noted with the glider. An inspection of the glider was conducted. Control continuity was established from the control stick in the cockpit to the left aileron, rudder, and elevator. One-third of the right w ing separated from the wing structure. Control continuity of the outboard portion of the right wing from the aileron to the separated control tube was established. No further discrepancies were noted.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) NO WITNESSES WERE AVAILABLE THAT SAW THE ENTIRE EVENT OF THIS ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT WAS AT APPROX 300 TO 400 FT. AGL, FLYING BASE TO RUNWAY 27, AIRSPEED WAS LOW. PILOT INITIATED A TURN TO THE RIGHT (PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 27) EARLY, DUE TO LACK OF ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO REACH RUNWAY 27, WHILE PREPARING TO LAND IN THE FIELD NORTH OF RUNWAY 27. DURING THIS TURN TO THE RIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO A STALL AND CRASHED IN THE FIELD NORTH OF RUNWAY 27. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR WING AND FUSELAGE DAMAGE. PILOT SURVIVED THE CRASH, AND LATER DIED AT THE TEHACHAPI HOSPITAL, APPROX 3 HOURS LATER FROM HEART FAILURE. (.4) THE GLIDER WAS OBSERVED TO CONTINUE IN A 360-DEGREE TURN UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER IT MADE THE DOWNWIND TO BASE TURN FOR LANDING. A WITNESS REPORTED HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE PILOT 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED TO THE WITNESS THAT THE FLIGHT HAD GONE WELL AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS NOTED WITH THE GLIDER. AN INSPECTION OF THE GLIDER WAS CONDUCTED. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE CONTROL STICK IN THE COCKPIT TO THE LEFT AILERON, RUDDER, AND ELEVATOR. ONE-THIRD OF THE RIGHT W ING SEPARATED FROM THE WING STRUCTURE. CONTROL CONTINUITY OF THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING FROM THE AILERON TO THE SEPARATED CONTROL TUBE WAS ESTABLISHED. NO FURTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.