Rolladen-Schneider LS4A accident near Wenatchee, Washington, April 10, 1993
On April 10, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LS4A (glider), registered N7DZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington (Pangborn Field). 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
MISJUDGED WEATHER EVALUATION. FACTORS INCLUDE HIGH WINDS ENCOUNTERED ON APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · Pangborn Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LS4A · all LS4As on the register
- Registration
- N7DZ · no longer on the register · serial 4337
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PILOT STATED THAT HE CONTINUED HIS FLIGHT WHEN OTHER PILOTS REPORTED A LARGE AREA OF CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT WITH VIRGA AND RAIN MOVING TOWARD THE AIRPORT. HE ELECTED TO EXTEND HIS FLIGHT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THEN ON HIS RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, WINDS AND RAIN INCREASED IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. ABOUT A HALF MILE FROM LANDING, HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE FIELD, AND LANDED IN A SMALL FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ON AN UPSLOPE AND A LARGE ROCK BROKE THROUGH THE FUSELAGE, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 635 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 848 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,157 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAT at 8:30 pm
- Destination: EAT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.