- Date
- September 4, 1989, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Yermo, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- UNREGMonett Monarai
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 26125
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain airspeed and inadvertently entered into a stall/spin.
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
The glider was towed aloft by a ground vehicle. When the glider was about 200 ft AGL the pilot released the tow lone. Witnesses reported that the glider then turned to the north, and its airspeed began to decelerate slowly. It entered a flat spin and crashed. Investigation disclosed continuity of the flight control system, and all major components were found at the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Monett Monarai
- Category
- Glider, amateur-built
- Engine
- Unknown UNKNOWN, unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Fritz, Richard B.
- Registered owner
- No Registration
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 2,400 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAG, 8 nm away