Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 accident near Tahoe Vista, California, June 20, 2022
On June 20, 2022, a 1994 Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 (glider), registered N536LS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Tahoe Vista, California (Truckee-Tahoe 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 glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight and subsequent water ditching.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2022
- Place
- Tahoe Vista, California · Truckee-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, built 1994 · all LS-6s on the register
- Registration
- N536LS · no longer on the register · serial 6329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider pilot reported that, during an early afternoon flight, the glider began to encounter a sink rate. The pilot attempted to find thermals in the area, without success, and decided to return to the departure airport. As the glider continued to lose altitude, the pilot elected to ditch in a lake. The glider landed flat in the water and decelerated rapidly, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider 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
- Ditching during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of lift during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Thermal lifting › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 510 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 10, 2021
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 2022; 1,825 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from KTRK, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTRK 200045Z 27010KT 10SM 16/02 A3017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR22LA225.