NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX87LA287
Registry · N103BG
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
NIKI ROTOR AVIATION LTD KALLITHEA
Year of manufacture
2024
Engine
ROTAX 915 IS (135 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20240528
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A00FF9
Registrant of record
LA GYROPLANE AVIATION INC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER GLIDING IN A SINK FOR SVRL MINUTES, HE BEGAN FLYING ABOUT 500' ABOVE A NORTH-SOUTH MTN RIDGE IN SEARCH OF LIFT. WHILE ON A NORTHERLY HEADING, THE LEFT WING ROSE & THE PLT INTERPRETED THIS AS LIFT. HE TURNED TO THE LEFT (WEST) WHICH PUT THE GLIDER ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE RIDGE. THE GLIDER THEN ENTERED A SINK & WENT BELOW THE RIDGE LINE. THE PLT TRADED ALT FOR SPEED AS HE HEADED TOWARD THE SAILPORT. RPRTDLY, THE GLIDER WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 100 KTS WHEN A WING HIT A TALL (TREE LIKE) CACTUS & THEN THE GLIDER CRASHED. ABOUT 15 MI AWAY AT PHOENIX, THE WIND WAS FROM 120 DEG AT 6 KTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1987_LAX87LA287.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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