Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS and Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS mid-air collision near Bridgeport, California, May 22, 1983
On May 22, 1983 at about 10:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS (N184N) and Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS (N6482), were involved in a mid-air collision near Bridgeport, California. 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. 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 22, 1983 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS STANDARD C · all STANDARD CIRRUSs on the register
- Registration
- N184N · registry record · serial 9
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS STANDARD C · all STANDARD CIRRUSs on the register
- Registration
- N6482 · no longer on the register · serial 123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO SCHEMPP-HIRTH GLIDERS, N184N & N6482, WERE BEING FLOWN IN A X-COUNTRY CONTEST ALONG A TRIANGULAR COURSE. THE COURSE STARTED AT MINDEN, NV & WENT TO SCHURZ, NV & BRIDGEPORT, CA, THEN BACK TO MINDEN. THE PLTS OF BOTH GLIDERS HAD PARTICIPATED IN CONTESTS FOR OVER 10 YRS & WERE GOOD FRIENDS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE 2 GLIDERS FLYING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER ALONG THE ROUTE NEAR THE BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR. THE PLT OF N184N SAID THAT HE SAW N6482 ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE HIM WHILE BOTH WERE IN A THERMAL. HE SAID THAT N6482 LEFT THE THERMAL AT ABOUT 15,500 FT. HE (N184N) MADE ANOTHER TURN IN THE THERMAL, THEN LEFT IT TO CONTINUE TOWARD BRIDGEPORT. THE PLT OF N184N SAID THAT WHEN HE LEFT THE THERMAL, HE DID NOT SEE N6482 UNTIL SOMETIME LATER, JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE IMPACT. HE REPORTED THAT N6482 CONVERGED FROM N184N'S 8 O'CLOCK POSITION. AFTER IMPACT, N6482 ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED IN A HILLY WOODED AREA. THE LEFT WING TIP OF N184N SEPARATED & THE CANOPY WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND AT BRIDGEPORT.
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 Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO SCHEMPP-HIRTH GLIDERS, N184N & N6482, WERE BEING FLOWN IN A X-COUNTRY CONTEST ALONG A TRIANGULAR COURSE. THE COURSE STARTED AT MINDEN, NV & WENT TO SCHURZ, NV & BRIDGEPORT, CA, THEN BACK TO MINDEN. THE PLTS OF BOTH GLIDERS HAD PARTICIPATED IN CONTESTS FOR OVER 10 YRS & WERE GOOD FRIENDS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE 2 GLIDERS FLYING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER ALONG THE ROUTE NEAR THE BRIDGEPORT RESERNOIR. THE PLT OF N184N SAID THAT HE SAW N6482 ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE HIM WHILE BOTH WERE IN A THERMAL. HE SAID THAT N6482 LEFT THE THERMAL AT ABOUT 15,500 FT. HE (N184N) MADE ANOTHER TURN IN THE THERMAL, THEN LEFT IT TO CONTINUE TOWARD BRIDGEPORT. THE PLT OF N184N SAID THAT WHEN HE LEFT THE THERMAL, HE DID NOT SEE N6482 UNTIL SOMETIME LATER, JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE IMPACT. HE REPORTED THAT N6482 CONVERGED FROM N184N'S 8 O'CLOCK POSITIN. AFTER IMPACT, N6482 ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED IN A HILLY WOODED AREA. THE LEFT WING TIP OF N184N SEPARATED & THE CANOPY WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND AT BRIDGEPORT.
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 Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,581 hours in all; 1,530 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,524 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,534 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1982; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 7:45 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:30 pm from MEV, 49 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,425 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 722 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1983; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 7:45 pm
- 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.