Amateur-built GLASTAR accident near Summer Lake, Oregon, June 15, 2026
On June 15, 2026 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1999 amateur-built GLASTAR, registered N399RS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Summer Lake, Oregon (Dry Lakebed At Summer Lake. airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in the airplane nosing over during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2026 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Summer Lake, Oregon · Dry Lakebed At Summer Lake. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASTAR, built 1999
- Registration
- N399RS · registry record · serial 5477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting an off airport landing on a dry lakebed. During the landing roll, the main landing gear wheels sank into soft soil/sand, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, left wing, and left-wing strut. The pilot reported that he had conducted multiple touch-and-go landings on parts of the lakebed prior and that the surface was softer than he anticipated during the accident landing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,046 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 118.9 in the last 90 days; 29.1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 16, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,310 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 9, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-EXP (piston); 1,075 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Summer Lake OR at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from KLKV, 48 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLKV 151753Z AUTO 11005KT 8SM CLR 27/04 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP205 T02670039 10267 20111 50002
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of airplane inverted from the front
Photograph 2 – View of airplane inverted from the right
Photograph 3 – View of airplane inverted from the rear
Photograph 4 - View of airplane inverted from the leftThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 17, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.