Schleicher ASW-20 and Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbah SPEED ASTIR II mid-air collision near Tulare, California, April 15, 1982
On April 15, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Schleicher ASW-20 (N6KS) and Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbah SPEED ASTIR II (N161SS), were involved in a mid-air collision near Tulare, California (Tulare Municipal airport). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tulare, California · Tulare Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Schleicher ASW-20 · all ASW-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6KS · no longer on the register · serial 20362
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbah SPEED ASTIR II SPEED ASTI
- Registration
- N161SS · registry record · serial 4009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Schleicher ASW-20 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RELEASING FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT, THE GLIDER PILOT PROCEEDED TO GAIN ALTITUDE IN A THERMAL ALONG WITH OTHER SAILPLANES. AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 4000 FT MSL, A COLLISION OCCURRED WITH ONE OF THE OTHER SAILPLANES. ABOUT 9 FT OF THE LEFT WING SEPARATED AND THE PLANE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE PILOT FAILED TO RELEASE THE CANOPY, BUT WAS ABLE TO FREE HIMSELF FROM THE PLANE. REPORTEDLY, HE HAD SUFFICIENT TIME AND ALTITUDE TO OPEN HIS PARACHUTE, BUT THE CHUTE DID NOT OPEN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE PARACHUTE REVEALED THAT THE RIP CHORD WAS EXTENDED WITH PINS FREE OF THE BACK PACK RETAINERS. THE PILOT CHUTE WAS DEPLOYED ALONG WITH A SMALL PORTION OF THE MAIN CHUTE. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER GLIDER BAILED OUT SUCCESSFULLY.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbah SPEED ASTIR II final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PILOT ENTERED A THERMAL WITH THREE OTHER SAILPLANES AND BEGAN TO CLIMB. TWO OF THE SAILPLANES WERE ABOUT 1000 FT BELOW HIM AND THE OTHER PLANE WAS ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE. AS THE PILOT WAS CLIMBING TO ABOUT 4000 FT MSL, HE LOST SIGHT TO THE SAILPLANE ABOVE HIM AND ELECTED TO LEAVE THE THERMAL. AS HE WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE, HE SAW THE OTHER PLANE ON A COLLISION COURSE. HE TOOK EVASIVE ACTION, BUT WAS TOO LATE. THE RIGHT WING OF HIS PLANE STRUCK THE LEFT WING OF N6KS. ABOUT 10 FT OF THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED AND THE PLANE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE PILOT BAILED OUT SUCCESSFULLY AND THE GLIDER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER GLIDER MANAGED TO BAIL OUT, BUT HIS PARACHUTE DID NOT OPEN.
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 for the Schleicher ASW-20 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 735 hours in all; 231 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 133 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,001 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tulare CA at 1:05 pm
- Destination: Tulare CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbah SPEED ASTIR II from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 23 in this make and model; 358 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 320 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,160 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tulare CA at 1:10 pm
- Destination: Tulare CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.
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.