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Old December 28th 06, 11:06 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Fred[_1_]
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Posts: 20
Default Minden Accident -- short landing in high winds?

Jeremy:

Aside from a sore lower back, I'm doing fine. I won't fly for a short
while because I'm taking painkillers, but I hope to be back on the
flight line in early to mid January. We were doing a little soaring
over south Minden (about 4 miles from the airport) when snow began to
move toward the field from the north. I headed for the field with
plenty of altitude, but the ceiling dropped quickly and I had to use
spoilers to stay below it. That put me below the glide angle needed in
that wind to get to the runway, so I set up for a landing on Bently
land. At the last minute I saw some small sprinkler risers and tried
to slip to the right to avoid them. I hit a wingtip and groundlooped
proving once again that it's better to take the small damage that is
certain than take a chance on much larger damage. My student was in
pretty bad pain yesterday and will probably be like that for a while
too. The Grob will be off line for several months. Fred

On Dec 28, 8:35 am, Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/...NEWS/112280099

"Two men were injured Wednesday afternoon in a glider crash near the
Minden Airport.

According to East Fork Fire Department Capt. Terry Taylor, the glider
crashed at about 1 p.m. just south of the airport's main runway as it
was attempting to land.

Weather at the airport at the time of the crash was cold and very windy,
with gusts up to 45 mph with winds shifting directions, he said.

Pilot Fred Lasor, 63, of Minden, and passenger/co-pilot Alan Cederstrom,
52, of Queensbury, N.Y., were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Lasor was out of the aircraft and walking around when rescue workers
arrived, Taylor said. Cederstrom was helped from the wreck by rescue
officials.

Both were taken by East Fork Fire and Paramedic District ambulance to
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center."

It looks like a Grob 103 with a cracked boom.

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/apps/pbc.../zoom.pbs&Site...

Hopefully Fred and his passenger are doing well.

Jeremy