# Accident 20160424008099A: Dg Flugzeugbau Gmbh DG-800B, Clements, CA, April 24, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 24, 2016, 17:06 local time
- Place: Clements, CA
- Airport: Byron
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.1978° N, 121.0767° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1978&lon=-121.0767&mi=10
- Aircraft: N800YG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N800YG-2018-05-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: DG Flugzeugbau DG-800B (registry code 3805015, https://openairdocs.org/model/dg-flugzeugbau-dg-800b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DG FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH DG-800B
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,370 total, 1,360 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA096) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160424008099A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR16LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA096), Apr 25, 2016: DG Flugzeugbau DG 800B (N800YG), Clements, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The motorglider pilot's decision to perform an in-flight engine start with insufficient altitude, which resulted in an off-airport landing and collision with trees after the engine did not start.…

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.

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