Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D accident near Saint Helena, California, April 11, 1988
On April 11, 1988, a Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D (glider), registered N1NZ, suffered minor damage in an accident near Saint Helena, California. It was a personal 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
- April 11, 1988
- Place
- Saint Helena, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D · all PIK 20Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1NZ · no longer on the register · serial 20607
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED VACAVILLE GLIDERPORT ON AN AERO TOW. THE PLT INTENDED TO FLY TO CALISTOGA, CA AND RETURN. AFTER PASSING ST. HELENA, CA, THE THERMAL ACTIVITY BEGAN TO DECREASE. THE PLT EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO VACAVILLE. WHEN THE FLT WAS OVER ST. HELENA, THE THERMAL ACTIVITY DIMINISHED FURTHER AND THE PLT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN AN OPEN FLD. THE PREVAILING SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTH & THE FLD HE SELECTED SLOPED UPWARD TO THE NORTH. THE PLT LANDED TO THE NORTH & DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE GLIDER STRUCK A DITCH WHICH CROSSED THE LANDING AREA.
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: 179 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command; 16 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 976 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1987; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA58 Vacaville CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: CA58
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N1NZ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.