Amateur-built WOODSTOCK-I accident near California City, California, February 13, 1984
On February 13, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built WOODSTOCK-I (glider), registered N71W, was destroyed in an accident near California City, California. 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
- February 13, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WOODSTOCK-I WOODSTOCK-
- Registration
- N71W · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT, THE GLIDER SUSTAINED AN IN-FLT FAILURE OF BOTH WINGS, THEN ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREEXISTING STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. THE GLIDER WAS EQUIPPED WITH A RECORDING BAROGRAPH. A BAROGRAPH TRACE SHOWED THAT THE GLIDER HAD BEEN AIRBORNE ABOUT 45 MIN & HAD STEP CLIMBED TO 16,500 FT. DURING THE LAST 5 MIN IT HAD DESCENDED 500 FT & CLIMBED 250 FT, THEN ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT (STRAIGHT LINE ON THE RECORDING) & CRASHED. OTHER GLIDER PLTS REPORTED THAT N71W WAS FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF LENTICULAR CLOUDS WITH BASES BETWEEN 14,000 & 18,000 FT. THEY REPORTED 'MILD WAVE CONDITIONS' WITH NO UNUSUALLY STRONG ROTOR. ONE PLT NOTED A PHENOMENON OF 'LENTICULAR JUMP', IN WHICH, THE CLOUD COULD GROW FASTER THAN A GLIDER COULD MOVE AWAY. N17W WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUMENT FLT & DID NOT HAVE AN OXYGEN SYS INSTALLED. THE PLT WAS DIABETIC, BUT A FLT SURGEON'S FINDINGS CONCERNING HIS MEDICAL CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE INCONCLUSIVE.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 255 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 317 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1984; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 450 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L71 California City CA at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 23 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from WJF, 28 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.