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LAX90DJA02

1989-12-10 · HALEIWA, OAHU, Hawaii, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport HDH

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE SEPARATION IN FLIGHT OF THE VERTICAL WOOD FIN FROM THE MAIN STRUCTURE. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE SEPARATION WAS DUE TO OVERLOAD FORCES OR FATIGUE.

Factual narrative

THE GLIDER PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE ENTERING DOWNWIND OVER THE OCEAN. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND DITCHED INTO THE WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT INDICATED THE VERTICAL FIN HAD BROKEN OFF IN FLIGHT AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE ATTACHMENT POINT TO THE VERTICAL FIN WOOD STRUCTURE HAD WOOD FIBERS EXPOSING STRAIGHT UPWARDS. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX90DJA02.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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