Glasflugel ST LIBELLE accident near Vacaville, California, July 20, 1986
On July 20, 1986 at about 8:33 pm local time, a Glasflugel ST LIBELLE (glider), registered N74162, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vacaville, California (Vacaville Gliderport airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- July 20, 1986 · about 8:33 pm local time
- Place
- Vacaville, California · Vacaville Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel ST LIBELLE
- Registration
- N74162 · no longer on the register · serial 420
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE SAILPLANE WAS TOO LOW ON THE LANDING APPRAOCH AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO STRETCH THE GLIDE THE PILOT STALLED THE SAILPLANE AND ENTERED A SPIN PRIOR TO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.
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
- Flight time: 770 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,020 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from SUU, 6 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.