Fisher HP-14 SAILPLANE accident near Nampa, Idaho, April 6, 2012
On April 6, 2012 at about 10:52 pm local time, a Fisher HP-14 SAILPLANE (glider), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N990, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nampa, Idaho (Nampa Municipal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s incorrect positioning of the wing flaps during the landing approach, which resulted in a loss of lift and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2012 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Nampa, Idaho · Nampa Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fisher HP-14 SAILPLANE, amateur-built
- Registration
- N990 · registry record · serial 152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after soaring for nearly 3 hours, he returned to the departure airport and made a traffic pattern approach for landing. On final approach, he lowered the wing flaps to 40 degrees. The pilot additionally reported that, because it appeared the glider was going to be too high, he further extended the wing flaps. Suddenly, the glider’s sink rate increased, and the glider touched down hard short of the runway. The glider bounced and yawed sideways, the landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage buckled as the glider slid to a stop. The pilot stated that he subsequently observed that the flaps were set to 90 degrees, which was 30 degrees beyond what he had intended.
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
What happened, in order
- 508500 during 508
- 551092 during descent - normal
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › TE flap control system › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, glider
- Flight time: 405 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 366 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 12, 2010
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 343 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 27, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 810 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: MAN Nampa ID at 7:56 pm
- Destination: MAN Nampa ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°C, dew point 18°C
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR12CA157.