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Atlas / NTSB / WPR22LA042

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR22LA042

2021-11-17 Carlsbad, California, United States Airport · CRQ None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N44DY

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PHOENIX AIR SRO U-15 PHOENIX

Year of manufacture

2010 · 11 years old at event

Engine

ROTAX 912ULS SERIES (100 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20100806

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A548A6

Registrant of record

LEVY DOUGLAS R

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain distance with an airport sign while taxiing.

Factual narrative

The pilot in the tailwheel equipped glider reported that, after landing, he taxied off the runway onto a ramp area. A business jet was being towed by a tug on the taxiway he normally used to get to his hangar. The ground controller issued the pilot instructions to pass by the jet and turn right. The tail-low configuration of the glider made the pilot’s visibility limited while taxiing. During the turn, the glider’s right wing collided with an airport sign, substantially damaging the composite structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot
  • Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Sign/marker-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_WPR22LA042.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.