Dirks Glaser DG-300 N30AS

Summary

On 29 October 2005 at about 22:20 local time, a Dirks Glaser DG-300 registered N30AS was involved in an accident near California City, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 October 2005 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

California City, California, United States

Nearest airport

California City Municipal (L71)

Coordinates

35.1531, -118.0139

Aircraft

Dirks Glaser DG-300

Registration

N30AS

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

California City → California City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06CA021

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's inadvertent retraction of the gear and failure to deploy the spoilers, and his subsequent failure to attain a proper touchdown point.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot intentionally ground looped the glider and struck a berm after overshooting the desired touchdown point on the landing runway. The pilot was performing a high parasite drag maneuver on landing. On approach he realized that he would overshoot the first half of the runway and chose to land on the second half. The pilot reached for the spoiler handle, but by mistake pulled the gear handle instead and inadvertently retracted the gear. The glider touched down on the runway at approximately 70 knots. The pilot feared he would strike a berm at the end of the runway head on and intentionally ground looped the glider, striking the berm at a 90-degree angle to the left. The glider was destroyed, and the pilot received minor injuries.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.