Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D N4HT
23 March 1996 · Hollister, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 23 March 1996 at about 21:48 local time, a Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D registered N4HT was involved in an accident near Hollister, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:48
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hollister, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 36.8900, -121.2395
- Aircraft
- Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D
- Registration
- N4HT
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX96LA144
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper in-flight decision to take a longer than necessary route back to the airport during a period of marginal lift.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
According to the pilot, after an aerial tow aloft he soared in thermals above nearby ridges as he flew toward the San Luis Reservoir. As the thermals began to dissipate he turned back toward Hollister and took what he described as the long route to [the airport]. The lack of available lift precluded making the airport and he landed in an open field. As the right wing dropped, the tip snagged in a large gopher hole and the aircraft ground looped, damaging the wing and empennage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Eiriavion Oy PIK-20D accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov 2001 | Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D | Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Apr 1988 | Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D | Saint Helena, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 May 1984 | Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D | Boron, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 1982 | Eiriavion Oy PIK-20D | Crested Butte, Colorado, United States | Lewis K. Corder | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 May 2012 | Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D | Eagleville, Tennessee, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 2023 | Eiriavion Oy PIK-20D | Benton, Tennessee, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar 1996 | Maule M-6-235 | Bishop, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 1996 | Cessna 210A | Truckee, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 1996 | Cessna 152 | Santa Paula, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1996 | Piper PA-28-140 | Plymouth, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Mar 1996 | Cessna T210M | Grass Valley, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Mar 1996 | Cessna 172L | Napa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |