- Date
- August 16, 1997, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- North Plains, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N40NHLaister LP-49
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970816022569A
- Case key
- 42675
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's selection of an inadequate landing site, and his failure to adequately plan his return glide back to his home gliderport. A factor contributing to the accident was rough terrain.
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 pilot was attempting to land back at the gliderport, but was forced to land in an open field located about one-quarter mile away. During the landing, the glider impacted rough terrain, tumbled, and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated that he should have selected a more suitable field for landing after realizing that he may not make it back to the gliderport.
Factual narrative
On August 16, 1997, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, N40NH, a Laister LP-49 glider, registered to the owner/pilot, collided with terrain during landing in North Plains, Oregon, and was substantially damaged. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight departed from North Plains about 1515 and was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector from Hillsboro, Oregon, the pilot was attempting to land back at the gliderport, but was forced to land in an open field located about one-quarter mile away. During the landing, the glider impacted terrain, tumbled, and was substantially damaged.
According to a written statement (attached) sent to the Safety Board, the pilot stated that he "...should have... selected appropriate land-out field when [altitude above the ground] reached 1500 [feet]. Instead, pilot attempted to reach "home" field." The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40NH
- Reported as
- Laister LP-49
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 29
- Airframe hours
- 1,290
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Boscole, James
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 1997 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- 1OR4 · OR
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 55 in this make and model · 28 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.