BRIDGEPORT, CA, USA
N184N
Schempp-Hirth STANDARD CIRRUS
N6482
SCHEMPP-HIRTH STANDARD CIRRUS
TWO SCHEMPP-HIRTH GLIDERS, N184N & N6482, WERE BEING FLOWN IN A X-COUNTRY CONTEST ALONG A TRIANGULAR COURSE. THE COURSE STARTED AT MINDEN, NV & WENT TO SCHURZ, NV & BRIDGEPORT, CA, THEN BACK TO MINDEN. THE PLTS OF BOTH GLIDERS HAD PARTICIPATED IN CONTESTS FOR OVER 10 YRS & WERE GOOD FRIENDS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE 2 GLIDERS FLYING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER ALONG THE ROUTE NEAR THE BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR. THE PLT OF N184N SAID THAT HE SAW N6482 ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE HIM WHILE BOTH WERE IN A THERMAL. HE SAID THAT N6482 LEFT THE THERMAL AT ABOUT 15,500 FT. HE (N184N) MADE ANOTHER TURN IN THE THERMAL, THEN LEFT IT TO CONTINUE TOWARD BRIDGEPORT. THE PLT OF N184N SAID THAT WHEN HE LEFT THE THERMAL, HE DID NOT SEE N6482 UNTIL SOMETIME LATER, JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE IMPACT. HE REPORTED THAT N6482 CONVERGED FROM N184N'S 8 O'CLOCK POSITION. AFTER IMPACT, N6482 ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED IN A HILLY WOODED AREA. THE LEFT WING TIP OF N184N SEPARATED & THE CANOPY WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND AT BRIDGEPORT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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