NTSB Identification: LAX05LA224
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.

LAX05LA224

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 3, 2005, about 1514 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 had been filed. The pilot departed from the California City
Airport, California City, California, about 1215, in a flight of six
gliders, and planned to return that evening.

In a written statement, a glider pilot flying in the group of six
reported that he was the first to launch at 1200 and the accident pilot
was the third to launch, about 1215. Prior to launch, it was determined
that the first intended turn point would be Mount Whitney. The pilot
reached Mount Whitney about 1420, and decided that the next turn point
would be Coyote Flats.

The pilot further stated that the lift was less than expected, so he
reversed course about 6 miles south of Coyote Flats. At 1508, he was
about 11,000 feet msl flying southbound, when the accident pilot passed
him going northbound at 12,000 feet msl. They acknowledged each other
and the pilot reported that the accident pilot sounded normal. The pilot
surmised that this point was a few miles from the accident site and a
few minutes prior to the accident. After 20 minutes had passed, the
pilot expected to hear the accident pilot transmit a radio call so he
attempted to contact him via radio. The pilot did not respond. Repeated
contact attempts were made by other pilots but there was no response.

When the last glider pilot returned to California City 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.

PILOT INFORMATION

Records obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed
that the pilot held a private pilot certificate for single engine land
airplanes and gliders. The pilot's most recent third-class medical was
issued in March 1994.

The pilot's family provided a copy of the pilot's flight time logbook.
Based on this logbook and interviews with friends of the pilot, his
total flight time was approximately 732 hours. The pilot had flown about
30 hours in the last 90 days, 23 hours in the last 60 days, and 13 hours
in the month preceding the accident.

GLIDER INFORMATION

The experimental Schleicher ASW-20 glider was in the exhibition and
racing category, and the last condition inspection was completed June
14, 2005, at a total airframe time of 1,201.1 hours. The glider was
manufactured in 1980.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT

Inyo County search and rescue personnel responded to the accident site,
which was located on a drainage chute of Striper Mountain in the Sierra
Nevada mountain range, at an elevation of 11,600 feet msl. The crest of
the mountains in the vicinity of the accident site rose between 12,300
and 12,500 feet msl. The Inyo County sheriff reported that the entire
glider structure was located at the accident site. The wreckage was
confined to the impact area and the nose and cockpit area of the
structure were opened up and fragmented upon impact. During the initial
recovery efforts, the glider wreckage slid from its original impact
point and was displaced 1,000 feet below onto a glacier.

Photos obtained from the initial responders showed that the glider
impacted a steep rock face. The empennage section of the glider was
folded over remnants of the cockpit structure. The wings remained in
their respective positions but their leading edges were fragmented.
Various instruments were strewn about the rock face.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A glider pilot flying in the area of the accident site reported that the
weather conditions included 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. There were no abnormal weather conditions.

The closest official aviation weather reporting station was Bishop,
California. An aviation routine weather report was issued at 1556, and
contained the following information: skies clear; visibility, 10 miles;
temperature, 100 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point, -8 degrees Fahrenheit;
altimeter, 29.91 inches of Mercury; wind, variable at 5 knots.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Inyo County Coroner completed an autopsy. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Forensic Toxicology Research Team completed
toxicological testing on specimens of the pilot. The results were as
follows:

0.853 (ug/mL, ug/g) NORPROPOXYPHENE detected in Liver
0.308 (ug/mL, ug/g) NORPROPOXYPHENE detected in Spleen

The tests for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and volatiles were not performed.

The National Transportation Safety Board's Medical Officer reviewed the
pilot's medical records obtained from the pilot's family. The records
showed that over the previous year, the pilot had medical visits related
to foot and shoulder injuries. The pilot was prescribed propoxyphene/
acetaminophen on June 8, 2004. There were no indications of narcotics
being prescribed after June 8, 2004.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

The glider was recovered 2 months following the accident. The Safety
Board investigator-in-charge examined the wreckage on November 18, 2005.
The largest portions of the recovered wreckage were the wings. The
leading edges of the wings were reduced to splinters. The wings are
joined by a tongue and fork spar stub system. The right wing has two
stubs that reach into the center section of the fuselage and the left
stub, which is a single stub, slips between the two stubs on the right.
Spar pins are used to secure the stubs together. This area was separated
and sustained considerable impact damage. The flaps and ailerons were
partitioned into 5- to 30-inch sections.

The cabin structure was compromised upon impact and all of the control
tubing was in multiple pieces. Loose instruments were found within the
wreckage but their housing contents were in pieces. The empennage
section was fractured from the airplane about 10 inches forward of the
vertical stabilizer. Both the rudder and the elevators were dislodged
from their attach points. All of the empennage control surfaces had
splintered edges and sections that could not be reconstructed due to the
impact damage.

The glider was equipped with a Cambridge Aero 302 flight multi-function
instrument. Contained within the device were an altimeter, variometer,
averager, audio, accelerometer, and global positioning system (GPS)
flight recording. The crushed unit was recovered from the accident site
by initial rescue personnel and the data was downloaded on August 9,
2005. Two distinct flight records were contained within the unit. One
record was dated July 3, 2005, and was consistent with the pilot's route
of flight the day of the accident. The unit recorded the flight track
data every 4 seconds.

The device recording showed that pilot departed from the California City
Airport. According to the flight track record, 24 thermals were used and
9 were attempted, with turns in both the left and right directions. The
average cumulative groundspeed calculated for the flight was 80 knots.
The last recording on the device showed that the glider began a left
turn and was established in straight flight at 12,164 feet msl. A turn
to the left was recorded at an altitude of 12,129 feet msl and a
groundspeed of 66 knots. The track continued to the left with an
approximate 50-foot gain in altitude and a decrease in groundspeed to 56
knots. The final altitude displayed on the recording was 12,152 msl with
no groundspeed.

Comparison of the flight track with the terrain data showed that the
glider was on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada range when the left
turn towards higher terrain was initiated. The general terrain to the
right of the flight track decreased in elevation and opened up into the
greater Owen's Valley.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Glider Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-13) advises glider pilots to make
all turns away from the ridge when slope soaring because a turn toward
the ridge is dangerous, even if gliding seemingly well away from the
ridge. The groundspeed on the downwind portion of the turn may be
difficult to judge properly, and striking the ridge can be a serious
threat. Even if above the ridge, it will be easy to finish the turn
downwind of the ridge in heavy sink. Additionally, the handbook states
to avoid approaching from the upwind side perpendicular to the ridge.
Instead, approach the ridge at a shallower angle, so that a quick egress
away from the ridge is possible should lift not be contacted.

The Cambridge Aero Flight Tracking Device was released to the owner's
representative on February 13, 2006. No other parts or pieces were retained.