Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II accident near California City, California, May 1, 1983
On May 1, 1983 at about 6:27 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II (glider), registered N21RB, was destroyed in an accident near California City, California (California City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- May 1, 1983 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · California City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth NIMBUS II
- Registration
- N21RB · registry record · serial 14
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED WHEN IT RELEASED AT APRX 300 FT AGL & ENTERED A LEFT TURN. THE TURN CONTINUED, THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED & THE GLIDER SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE GROUND APRX 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE ARPT. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A RIGHT TURN WAS THE STANDARD PROCEDURE AFTER A RELEASE FROM A TOW. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OF THE GLIDER WAS FOUND, BUT ITS TOW HOOK WAS NOT LOCATED. THE TOW ROPE & TOW HOOK ON THE TOW PLANE WERE EXAMINED & NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. RESULTS OF MEDICAL & TOXICALOGICAL EXAMS WERE NEGATIVE.
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: 555 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 435 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,278 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from EDW, 16 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.
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.