Schempp-Hirth Discus B accident near Minden, Nevada, April 29, 2006
On April 29, 2006 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Discus B (glider), registered N13SG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. A factor was the loss of thermal lift.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2006 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Discus B · all Discus Bs on the register
- Registration
- N13SG · registry record · serial 69
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider impacted a ridge after encountering a loss of thermal lift. The pilot maneuvered toward a ridge in an attempt to position the glider in a thermal, which he believed was in the area. The glider did not ascend as expected and there appeared to be no thermal activity. The glider's airspeed began to diminish and the glider subsequently stalled. The pilot tried to regain control of the glider but did not have enough altitude or airspeed to recover and the glider collided with pine trees.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,032 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,155 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 6:30 pm
- Destination: MEV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from TVL, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX06LA151.