Schleicher ASW-12 accident near California City, California, September 22, 1990
On September 22, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW-12 (glider), registered N6135, was destroyed in an accident near California City, California (California City Muni airport). 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
AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A DISCONNECTED ELEVATOR CONTROL SURFACE AND AN IMPROPER PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE GLIDER PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · California City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-12
- Registration
- N6135 · registry record · serial 12009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH NOSE UP ABOUT 40 TO 50 DEGREES SHORTLY AFTER LIFT OFF AND CLIMB AT THIS ANGLE TO ABOUT 200 FEET AGL. THE TOW ROPE WAS RELEASED AND THE GLIDER TURNED RIGHT AND DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS WERE NOT CONNECTED.
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: 134 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 744 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1990; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 947 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L71 at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 15 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N6135 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.