# Accident 20080510857669A: Schlei ASK21, Tehachapi, CA, May 10, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 10, 2008, 15:40 local time
- Place: Tehachapi, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1014° N, 118.4272° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1014&lon=-118.4272&mi=10
- Aircraft: N361KS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N361KS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schleicher ASK-21 (registry code 38015GY, https://openairdocs.org/model/schleicher-ask-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHLEI ASK21
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,100 total, 5 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA08CA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08CA129) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080510857669A

## Narrative

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

DURING THE TAKEOFF SEQUENCE PRIOR TO REACHING 200 FEET, THE TOW PILOT NOTED THAT THE SPOILERS WERE OPEN ON THE GLIDER.  HE WAGGED THE RUDDER, WHICH IS THE SIGNAL TO CHECK SPOILERS CLOSED.  THE GLIDER PILOT MIS-INTERPRETED THE SIGNAL TO MEAN RELEASE, WHICH HE DID.  THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN TO LAND ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY, EVEN THOUGH THE TURN WAS TO A DOWNWIND HEADING. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE GLIDER, WHICH GROUND LOOPED.  STRUCK THE TAIL ON THE GROUND AND BROKE OFF THE TAILBOOM JUST AFT OF THE COCKPIT.

## 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 SEA08CA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08CA129), May 10, 2008: Schleicher ASK-21 (N361KS), Tehachapi, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight procedures and failure to check the spoiler control position, which resulted in the inadvertent deployment of the spoilers during takeoff. A contributing factor was…

## Other reports on N361KS (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20260810012772A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260810012772A), Aug 10, 2026: Schleicher ASK-21 (N361KS), Tehachapi, CA, Substantial damage. On August 10, 2026, about 1053 pacific daylight time (PDT), an ask 21 glider airplane, tail number [privacy data omitted], was substantilly damaged when it was…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.