Rolladen-Schneider LS3 accident near Warner Springs, California, April 29, 1984
On April 29, 1984 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LS3 (glider), registered N811, was destroyed in an accident near Warner Springs, California (Butterfield Oaks). 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
- April 29, 1984 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Warner Springs, California · Butterfield Oaks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LS3
- Registration
- N811 · registry record · serial 3051
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SAILPLANE WAS FOUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AMOUNG 10 TO 15 FOOT RIBBON-WOOD SHRUBS APPROX 250 FT WNW OF THE DEPARTURE END OF A SMALL AIRSTRIP. BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND DISPLACED FORWARD WITH THE RT ONE FORMING A STRAIGHT LINE EXTENSION FORWARD FM THE FUSELAGE. NO WITNESSES WERE FOUND THAT OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING A 5 HOUR DURATION FLT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FLYING OUR 300 MILES TO QUALIFY FOR A DISTANCE AWARD. TRANSMISSIONS TO THE CO-OWNER ON THE GROUND INDICATED HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALT AND HIS ORTENTATION TO HIS PLANNED COURSE. HIS LAST TRANSMISSION STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN MISTAKEN ABOUT HIS PRIOR LOCATION AND THAT HE HAD TO DUMP HIS BALLAST. A BAROGRAPH WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT WHICH INDICATED OUR 2 HOURS OF FLT TIME WITH AT LEAST 2 LOSSES OF ALT BFR THE FINAL DECREASE. IN ADDITION THE LAST ALT DECREASE WAS PRECEEDED BY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN ALT FOLLOWED BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A RAPID DECREASE.
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: 6,839 hours in all; 2,916 in this make and model; 515 in the last 90 days; 330 in the last 30 days; 4,824 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 480 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1984; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 825 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HMT Hemet CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: HMT Hemt CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from CFO, 30 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.