I C A Brasov IS-29D2 N8217A

Summary

On 22 May 1999 at about 19:25 local time, a I C A Brasov IS-29D2 registered N8217A, operated by Jane Barrett, was involved in an accident near Tehachapi, 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.

Date

22 May 1999 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Tehachapi, California, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

I C A Brasov IS-29D2

Registration

N8217A

Category

Glider

Operator

Jane Barrett

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA192

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to maintain a proper glide path due to an inadvertent encounter with an area of high sink rate conditions. The mountainous/hilly nature of the terrain which limited the pilot's selection of a landing site is a factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that he spoke with other pilots before the flight to determine the soaring conditions. The pilots he spoke with reported that the lift conditions were not great but were generally satisfactory. A glider instructor pilot told him that there were areas of lift and areas of sink out there, but that there shouldn't be a problem making the airport from where he was let go from the tow plane. The pilot stated that after release from the tow plane he experienced 'a little bit of lift and then a huge sink rate and couldn't make it over the ridge' that separated him from the airport. He realized that he would not make it back to the airport and attempted to make a forced landing southeast of the airport and collided with ground obstructions during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.