# NTSB WPR22LA225: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, N536LS, Tahoe Vista, CA, June 20, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 19, 2022, 17:30 local (Jun 20, 2022, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Tahoe Vista, CA · landed on Lake Tahoe
- Coordinates: 39.238379, -120.04298
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2384&lon=-120.0430&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105343
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA225
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105343/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105343
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA225

## Probable cause

The glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight and subsequent water ditching.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Temp/humidity/pressure: thermal lifting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040/cases.md?model=3801260), [All aircraft, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=3801260), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=3801260), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=3801260), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The glider pilot reported that, during an early afternoon flight, the glider began to encounter a sink rate. The pilot attempted to find thermals in the area, without success, and decided to return to the departure airport. As the glider continued to lose altitude, the pilot elected to ditch in a lake. The glider landed flat in the water and decelerated rapidly, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N536LS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N536LS-2022-11-05), registration cancelled 2022-11-05, S/N 6329, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROLLADEN-SCHNEIDER LS-6
- Registry model: [Rolladen-Schneider LS-6](https://openairdocs.org/model/rolladen-schneider-ls-6) (registry code 3801260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 6329
- Year built: 1994
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, April 19, 2022, 1,825 hours before
- Departed: TRK, Truckee, CA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: TRK, Truckee-Tahoe
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; last flight review January 10, 2021; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 510 total, 50 in this make and model, 450 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observed at: KTRK, 7 nm away
- METAR: KTRK 200045Z 27010KT 10SM 16/02 A3017

## 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 20220619023059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220619023059A), Jun 19, 2022: Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, Tahoe City, CA, Substantial damage. When [privacy data omitted], a glider, experienced loss of lift and was unable to gain enough altitude to clear the mountains separating it from the…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105343. 2.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14123150&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 794 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14122502&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf

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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