Laister NUGGET accident near Bishop, California, April 26, 1992
On April 26, 1992 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Laister NUGGET (glider), registered N97DT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bishop, California (Bishop 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED NO-FLAP LANDING APPROACH; FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST; AND INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE BUCKLING OF THE WING SKIN, CRACKING OF THE FUSELAGE AND THE INOPERATIVE FLAPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1992 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bishop, California · Bishop · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Laister NUGGET
- Registration
- N97DT · no longer on the register · serial N-14
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURBULENCE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE TURBULENCE BUCKLED THE WINGS, CRACKED THE FUSELAGE, EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR AND RENDERED THE FLAPS INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY PLAN THE NO-FLAP LANDING APPROACH AND INADVERTENTLY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. THE GLIDER OVERSHOT THE POINT OF INTENDED LANDING AND SLID INTO A RAVINE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 800 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 353 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIH at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- 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.
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.