Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS-2C N39285
3 September 1990 · California City, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 3 September 1990 at about 00:35 local time, a Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS-2C registered N39285 was involved in an accident near California City, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:35
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- California City, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 35.1500, -117.9209
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS-2C
- Registration
- N39285
- 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
- LAX90FA310
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO EXECUTE THE RAPID CLIMBING TURN MANEUVER AT AN INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PREMATURE DUMPING OF THE GLIDER'S WATER BALLAST.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS PARTICIPATING IN A ROUND-ROBIN SOARING CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST. WHEN THE GLIDER WAS ABOUT 2 MILES EAST OF THE FINISH LINE THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE WAS INBOUND. WHEN THE GLIDER WAS ABOUT 1/4 OF A MILE EAST OF THE FINISH LINE WITNESSES OBSERVED ITS AIRSPEED APPEARED TO BE LESS THAN NORMAL. AFTER CROSSING THE FINISH LINE THE GLIDER ENTERED INTO A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. WHEN THE GLIDER COMPLETED ABOUT A 180 DEGREE TURN, IT STALLED AND ENTERED INTO A SPIN. A GLIDER PILOT WHO OVERTOOK THE ACCIDENT GLIDER REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT BEGAN TO PREMATURELY DISPERSE HIS WATER BALLAST ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT FINISH LINE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 May 1993 | Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II | Buena Vista, Colorado, United States | Kile, R. L. | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Jul 1987 | Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II | Hobbs, New Mexico, United States | James M. Stabler | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jul 1986 | Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS IIIT | Hawthorne, Nevada, United States | Carl D. Herold | No injuries | - |
| 1 May 1983 | Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II | California City, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 17 Jun 1997 | Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS 3/24.5 | MacDoel, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS 4DM | Minden, Nevada, United States | William S. Ivans | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 1990 | Cessna 180 | Soledad, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1990 | Cessna 150 | Riverside, California, United States | PAR Flight | No injuries | - |
| 17 Apr 1990 | Piper PA46 | Paso Robles, California, United States | Piper Aircraft Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Oct 1990 | Cessna 182M | Bakersfield, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Apr 1990 | Piper J-3 | Creston, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 1990 | Bell 47G4 | Merced, California, United States | John W. Myers | Serious injuries | - |