# NTSB LAX84FA275: Rolladen-Schneider LS3, N811, Warner Springs, CA, April 29, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: April 29, 1984, 13:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place: Warner Springs, CA
- Coordinates: 33.279567, -116.59954 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2796&lon=-116.5995&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 23952
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX84FA275
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/23952/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX84FA275

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE SAILPLANE WAS FOUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AMOUNG 10 TO 15 FOOT RIBBON-WOOD SHRUBS APPROX 250 FT WNW OF THE DEPARTURE END OF A SMALL AIRSTRIP. BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND DISPLACED FORWARD WITH THE RT ONE FORMING A STRAIGHT LINE EXTENSION FORWARD FM THE FUSELAGE. NO WITNESSES WERE FOUND THAT OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING A 5 HOUR DURATION FLT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FLYING OUR 300 MILES TO QUALIFY FOR A DISTANCE AWARD. TRANSMISSIONS TO THE CO-OWNER ON THE GROUND INDICATED HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALT AND HIS ORTENTATION TO HIS PLANNED COURSE. HIS LAST TRANSMISSION STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN MISTAKEN ABOUT HIS PRIOR LOCATION AND THAT HE HAD TO DUMP HIS BALLAST. A BAROGRAPH WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT WHICH INDICATED OUR 2 HOURS OF FLT TIME WITH AT LEAST 2 LOSSES OF ALT BFR THE FINAL DECREASE. IN ADDITION THE LAST ALT DECREASE WAS PRECEEDED BY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN ALT FOLLOWED BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A RAPID DECREASE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N811 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Rolladen-Schneider LS3
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 3051
- Airframe hours: 480
- Engines: unknown
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Patrick W. Philbrick
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 18, 1984, 17 hours before
- Departed: HMT, HEMET, CA
- Destination: HMT, HEMT, CA
- Airport: 3L5, Butterfield Oaks, runway 10, 2,400 × 50 ft, gravel

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; private; seat: center; flight hours: 6,839 total, 2,916 in this make and model, 4,824 as pilot in command, 515 in the last 90 days, 330 in the last 30 days, 200 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: CFO, 30 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19840429014879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840429014879A), Apr 29, 1984: Rolsch LS3, Warner Springs, CA, Destroyed. The glider impacted the ground at a high airspeed. Suspect diabetic pilot was attempting an emergency landing.

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.

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