Stemme GMBH & CO S10-VT accident near Warner Springs, California, June 12, 2012
On June 12, 2012 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Stemme GMBH & CO S10-VT (glider), registered N921BR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Warner Springs, California (Warner Springs Gliderport airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots’ failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2012 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Warner Springs, California · Warner Springs Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stemme GMBH & CO S10-VT · all S10-VTs on the register
- Registration
- N921BR · registry record · serial 11-028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was undergoing a flight review in a glider. Before the flight review, the pilot had obtained several hours of instruction from the flight instructor. During the final phase of a normal approach and landing, the glider became unstable due to a left crosswind. The glider's left wing contacted the ground, which resulted in a ground loop. During the ground loop, the tail boom separated, the main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing was damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,252 hours in all; 248 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 782 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 2012; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,873 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CL35 Warner Springs CA
- Destination: CL35 Warner Springs CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 26, 4,700 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from RMN, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 WPR12CA258.