Molino Oy PIK-20B accident near El Mirage, California, April 15, 1984
On April 15, 1984 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Molino Oy PIK-20B (glider), registered N222PK, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Mirage, California (El Mirage Sky Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1984 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- El Mirage, California · El Mirage Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Molino Oy PIK-20B · all PIK-20Bs on the register
- Registration
- N222PK · registry record · serial 20027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS 1/2 MI FROM THE RWY AT 835 FT AGL, HIS AIRSPEED WAS 70 KTS. WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 400 FT AGL, HIS AIRSPEED FLICKERED 3 TIMES TO ZERO. THE 3RD TIME, IT STAYED AT ZERO & THE GLIDER DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE REPORTED WIND 11 MI EAST WAS 160 DEG AT 10 KTS GUSTING 18 KTS. THE REPORTED WIND 22 MI NW WAS 160 DEG AT 1 KT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT AT THE ARPT, THE WINDSOCK ON TOP OF A LARGEHANGER INDICATED THE WIND WAS FROM 070 DEG.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,835 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 1984; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 880 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from VCV, 11 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX84LA262.