Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II N21RB

Summary

On 1 May 1983 at about 18:27 local time, a Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II registered N21RB was involved in an accident near California City, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

1 May 1983 at 18:27

Classification

Accident

Location

California City, California, United States

Nearest airport

California City (L71)

Coordinates

35.1506, -117.9199

Aircraft

Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II

Registration

N21RB

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83FA208

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED WHEN IT RELEASED AT APRX 300 FT AGL & ENTERED A LEFT TURN. THE TURN CONTINUED, THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED & THE GLIDER SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE GROUND APRX 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE ARPT. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A RIGHT TURN WAS THE STANDARD PROCEDURE AFTER A RELEASE FROM A TOW. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OF THE GLIDER WAS FOUND, BUT ITS TOW HOOK WAS NOT LOCATED. THE TOW ROPE & TOW HOOK ON THE TOW PLANE WERE EXAMINED & NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. RESULTS OF MEDICAL & TOXICALOGICAL EXAMS WERE NEGATIVE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.