What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 27, 2006 N794G departed Minden tahoe airport for an instructional flight at about 1215 hours. The pilot reported that the flight was in turbulent conditions. After approximately 20 minutes into the flight after tow release the tow plane pilot radioed from the ground that a snow squall was approaching from the north. The glider started back to the airport at that time. The flight instructor took over the controls and prepared for an off-field landing when it was apparent that they would not make the runway due to the increased head wind and lowering ceiling. Just before touch down the pilot noticed sprinkler heads directly ahead in the landing field. He attempted to miss them by doing a shallow bank. The right wing tip contacted the ground causing the aircraft to ground loop on landing breaking the empennage in half. Both pilots received minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 27, 2006 N794G DEPARTED MINDEN TAHOE AIRPORT FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AT ABOUT 1215 HOURS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS IN TURBULENT CONDITIONS. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT AFTER TOW RELEASE THE TOW PLANE PILOT RADIOED FROM THE GROUND THAT A SNOW SQUALL WAS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH. THE GLIDER STARTED BACK TO THE AIRPORT AT THAT TIME. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND PREPARED FOR AN OFF-FIELD LANDING WHEN IT WAS APPARENT THAT THEY WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY DUE TO THE INCREASED HEAD WIND AND LOWERING CEILING. JUST BEFORE TOUCH DOWN THE PILOT NOTICED SPRINKLER HEADS DIRECTLY AHEAD IN THE LANDING FIELD. HE ATTEMPTED TO MISS THEM BY DOING A SHALLOW BANK. THE RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO GROUND LOOP ON LANDING BREAKING THE EMPENNAGE IN HALF. BOTH PILOTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N794G · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.