Amateur-built TERN SAILPLANE accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon, February 15, 1992
On February 15, 1992 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built TERN SAILPLANE (glider), registered N8000Z, was destroyed in an accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon (Cottage Grove State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE SAILPLANE. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE IMPROPER TOW EQUIPMENT AND LACK OF TOTAL GLIDER EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1992 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Oregon · Cottage Grove State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TERN SAILPLANE TERN SAILP
- Registration
- N8000Z · registry record · serial KKDWWTM1070
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL THE TERN SAILPLANE PITCHED NOSE UP AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE PILOT RELEASED FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT BUT THE SAILPLANE HAD BEGUN TO SPIN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE SAILPLANE WAS FOUND TO BE EQUIPPED WITH ONLY A CG TOW ATTACH POINT WHICH IS USED FOR VEHICLE TOW LAUNCHES AND IS LOCATED AFT OF THE NOSE UNDER THE COCKPIT. THE SAILPLANE DID NOT POSSESS AN AERO TOW ATTACH POINT MOUNTED ON THE NOSE AND USED FOR AIRCRAFT LAUNCHES. THE PILOT REPORTED 557 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE BUT ONLY 15 HOURS WERE IN GLIDERS WITH NO TIME LOGGED IN THE MAKE/MODEL OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 557 hours in all; 134 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 359 as pilot in command; 188 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from EUG, 21 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.