Amateur-built Glastar accident near Grass Valley, California, May 19, 2001
On May 19, 2001 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Glastar, registered N241GS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grass Valley, California (Alta Sierra airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to arrest the excessive descent rate. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2001 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Alta Sierra · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Glastar
- Registration
- N241GS · registry record · serial 5113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the commercial pilot, he reduced power on final approach and then experienced an "extreme downdraft." He increased power in an attempt to arrest the excessive descent rate that ensued; however, he was unsuccessful. The airplane struck the ground and bounced back into the air. The pilot performed a go-around and conducted a low pass so that a person on the ground could examine the airplane. He was told that the nose landing gear was collapsed and the right wing was bent down approximately 20 degrees. The pilot performed another landing, during which the airplane skidded along the runway for 350 feet prior to veering off the side and nosing over. The closest weather reporting facility, which was 18 miles away, reported the wind at 14 knots with gusts to 23 knots. The pilot had accumulated a total of 32.2 hours of flight time in the accident airplane. The pilot indicated he could have landed with additional power and airspeed as a possible way of preventing the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,179 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 998 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 2000; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUN Auburn CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Q62 Grass Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from BAB, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.