- Date
- June 26, 2023, 16:46 local (23:46 UTC)
- Place
- Williams, CA · Williams, California
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N26DXSchleicher Alexander ASH 26 E
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20230626010259A
- Case key
- 192487
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 encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The glider pilot reported that he partially extended the wing spoilers and completed a pre-landing checklist while on left base for his intended destination airport. Shortly after, the glider encountered “significant sinking air” and started a descent. He then maneuvered the glider directly towards the runway and stowed the wing spoilers to extend his glide for a precautionary landing. Subsequently, the glider impacting terrain short of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the nose of the glider. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26DX
- Reported as
- Schleicher Alexander ASH 26 E
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 26242
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 352.2
- Engine
- Austro Engines AE50RAB, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 14, 2023 · 1.5 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- CN12 · Williams, runway 16, 2,000 × 20 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2023
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 31,000 total · 122.2 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 23.7 in the last 90 days · 12.2 in the last 30 days · 4.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KMYV, 26 nm away
- METAR
- KMYV 262353Z AUTO 10SM CLR 31/11 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP110 T03060106 10311 20222 56021
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.