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14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Accident occurred Sunday, July 03, 2005 in Big Pine, CA Aircraft: Schleicher ASW-20, registration: N31AP Injuries: 1 Fatal.
On July 3, 2005, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-20 glider, N31AP, collided with mountainous terrain in the Inyo National Park, about 15 nautical miles south-southwest of Big Pine, California, at 11,600 feet mean sea level (msl). The private pilot, also the registered owner of the glider, was operating it under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot sustained fatal injuries; the glider was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The glider departed from the California City Airport, California City, California, about 1245, in a flight of six gliders, and the pilot planned to return that evening. According to a glider pilot flying southbound along the accident pilot's same route of flight, the accident pilot radioed about 1515 that he was going to transition northbound to Coyote Flats, which was about 15 miles to the north of his position. The accident pilot's altitude was about 11,000 to 11,500 feet msl. Normally, the glider pilots will radio in once they have arrived at their intended point. No further radio transmissions were received from the pilot. According to the witness, the transition to Coyote Flats from the pilot's last radio transmission would normally take from 10 to 20 minutes. When the last glider pilot returned to California City on July 3 about 1830, the glider pilot group began a search effort for the accident pilot. After the initial searches were unsuccessful, the Inyo County Search and Rescue personnel were notified. On July 4th, at 1115, the wreckage was located in the mountainous terrain by the Inyo County Search and Rescue personnel. The weather conditions were reported as clear skies with a few scattered cumulous clouds. There were no winds aloft and there was a slight amount of turbulence associated with the thermals, which were not uncharacteristic for the flight environment. The glider pilot did not report any weather conditions that were abnormal. The Inyo County sheriff reported that the entire glider structure was located at the accident site and that the nose section was crushed. The entire wreckage was confined to the impact area. During the initial recovery efforts, the glider slid from its original impact point and fell 1,000 feet onto a glacier. The glider will be recovered for further examination. |
Title: LAX05LA224
