- Date
- May 30, 1987, 14:25 local (21:25 UTC)
- Place
- Fremont, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19870530025322A19870530025321A
- Case key
- 25601
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While on final apch to lnd on rwy 28, a glider (Schweizer sgs 2-32, N242DB) & a tow plane (Bellanca 7KCAB, N88314) collided in flt at an alt of about 200' AGL. The tow plane was returning fm a LCL tow mission & the glider was returningfm a LCL sightseeing flt. After colliding, the 2 acft lndd safely. Normal procedures at the arpt were for tow planes to fly a large pattern with a long final apch & for gliders to fly a small pattern with a short final. All traffic lndg on rwy 28 was to use a right pattern. The tow plt saw the glider as he (the tow plt) was turning on a long final apch. At that time, he estimated the glider was at 1100' AGL & 1/2 mi in the tow plane's 7:30 position. As the tow plane contd on final apch at 65 mph, the glider converged fm abv & behind. Subsequently, the nose of the glider hit the vertical stabilizer of the tow plane. The glider plt did not see the tow plane until the moment bfr impact. There was substantialdamage to the tow plane's vertical stabilizer, but only minor damage to the glider.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N88314
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 482-74
- Airframe hours
- 2,174
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-E2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Skysailing
- Registered owner
- Willat,Bret G.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 6, 1986 · 174 hours before
- Departed
- 8Q7
- Airport
- 8Q7 · Fremont, runway 28, 2,300 × 30 ft, dirt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N242DB
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-32
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 42
- Airframe hours
- 2,359
- Engine
- None NONE, unknown
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Sky Sailing
- Registered owner
- Willat, Bret G.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 8Q7
- Airport
- 8Q7 · Fremont, runway 28, 230 × 30 ft, dirt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N88314
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 674 total · 17 in this make and model · 399 as pilot in command · 97 in the last 90 days · 61 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N242DB
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,666 total · 1,648 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HWD, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N88314 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.