What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 24, 2016, at 1706 pacific daylight time, motor glider, N800YG, struck trees during landing near Clements, California. The aircraft was operated by the owner under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 and was launched from Byron Airport at 14:17 via aerotow. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. After departing Byron, the flight proceeded e-n-e to eagle ridge then west toward mhr before turning back for Byron. At approx. 16:30 the airman noticed thermal lift rapidly dissipating. An alternate landing spot was located and overflown to confirm adequacy. Once established on downwind, the airman attempted an in-flight engine start, for a ?self-retrieve? Powered flight back to Byron but was unable to start the engine. This distraction contributed to the loss of situational awareness as loss of altitude accumulated to a point where the aircraft was unable to clear obstacles at the approach end of the selected field.
The aircraft received substantial damage as it came to rest left wing down in a stand of eucalyptus trees. The pilot was able secure the glider, open the canopy, and climb to the ground. There was one PIC on board with no injuries and minor property damage at the accident site.
Damage: the debris field was limited to the area around the main accident site. The left wing sustained substantial impact damage fragmenting and severing the main spar 6 feet from the fuselage. The right wing sustained minor damage remaining intact attached to the fuselage. The cockpit and canopy were undamaged. The tail boom and empennage were substantially damaged but remained attached to the fuselage.
The fuel system remained intact with adequate quantity remaining in the tank.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 24, 2016, AT 1706 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, MOTOR GLIDER, N800YG, STRUCK TREES DURING LANDING NEAR CLEMENTS, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS LAUNCHED FROM BYRON AIRPORT AT 14:17 VIA AEROTOW. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. AFTER DEPARTING BYRON, THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED E-N-E TO EAGLE RIDGE THEN WEST TOWARD MHR BEFORE TURNING BACK FOR BYRON. AT APPROX. 16:30 THE AIRMAN NOTICED THERMAL LIFT RAPIDLY DISSIPATING. AN ALTERNATE LANDING SPOT WAS LOCATED AND OVERFLOWN TO CONFIRM ADEQUACY. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON DOWNWIND, THE AIRMAN ATTEMPTED AN IN-FLIGHT ENGINE START, FOR A ?SELF-RETRIEVE? POWERED FLIGHT BACK TO BYRON BUT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE. THIS DISTRACTION CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AS LOSS OF ALTITUDE ACCUMULATED TO A POINT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES AT THE APPROACH END OF THE SELECTED FIELD.
THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS IT CAME TO REST LEFT WING DOWN IN A STAND OF EUCALYPTUS TREES. THE PILOT WAS ABLE SECURE THE GLIDER, OPEN THE CANOPY, AND CLIMB TO THE GROUND. THERE WAS ONE PIC ON BOARD WITH NO INJURIES AND MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
DAMAGE: THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS LIMITED TO THE AREA AROUND THE MAIN ACCIDENT SITE. THE LEFT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT DAMAGE FRAGMENTING AND SEVERING THE MAIN SPAR 6 FEET FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE REMAINING INTACT ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE. THE COCKPIT AND CANOPY WERE UNDAMAGED. THE TAIL BOOM AND EMPENNAGE WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BUT REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE.
THE FUEL SYSTEM REMAINED INTACT WITH ADEQUATE QUANTITY REMAINING IN THE TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.