Ams Flight Carat A accident near Minden, NV
On October 23, 2004, an Ams Flight Carat A (glider) was involved in an accident near Minden, NV. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 23, 2004
- Place
- Minden, NV
- Aircraft
- Ams Flight Carat A · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.084°N, 119.750°W
- NTSB ID
- 20041103X01750
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 23, 2004, approximately 1240 Pacific daylight time, an AMS Flight Carat A motorized glider broke apart in flight and impacted terrain near Minden, Nevada. The glider was registered to, and operated by, the pilot. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The glider was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight. The flight departed the Minden-Tahoe Airport, Minden, Nevada, approximately 1220. According to an acquaintance of the pilot, who was also a glider pilot, the accident pilot spoke with him while they were on the ramp area at the Minden-Tahoe Airport. The pilot indicated he was going flying and the acquaintance stated that the waves were closing up. The pilot said it would be a short flight. The acquaintance was familiar with the pilot and his aircraft, and was aware that his oxygen tank was not filled. He offered his oxygen, but the pilot declined, again indicating that it was going to be a short flight. The acquaintance further stated that the pilot did not have a parachute with him. The acquaintance additionally noted that he observed a gap between the wave clouds, which was opening and closing at a noticeably rapid rate. A review of the aircraft's radar data obtained from Reno's Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR-9) revealed the glider initially flew northbound, parallel to, but west of, U.S. route 395 [route 395 is a north-south route that runs between Minden and Carson City, Nevada]. As the glider reached the southern end of Carson City, it rever
Probable cause
the pilot's likely inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions created by the rapidly changing cloud conditions that resulted in his spatial disorientation and exceeding the glider's ultimate design loads while in a spiral dive, which resulted in the overload failure of the wings.
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Browse: Nevada
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
