Buena Vista Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buena Vista, Colorado 81211
Saturday, September 5, 1987 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS FERRYING THE GLIDER TO BUENA VISTA, COLORADO & HAD PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED PERMISSION TO LAND ON A CLOSED RWY. AFTER BEING TOWED TO THE BUENA VISTA AREA, HE RELEASED THE GLIDER FROM THE TOW PLANE & FLEW IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT 40 MIN. HE THEN DSCNDD & LANDED ON A SOD STRIP BESIDE THE PAVED RWY. WHILE LANDING, HE STEARED THE GLIDER TO THE WEST TO AVOID ACFT THAT HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED & PARKED ON AN APRON. RPRTDLY, HE ALLOWED THE GLIDER TO GET TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE STRIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAIL OF THE GLIDER HIT AN OLD TIRE, DAMAGING THE ELEVATORS & REAR-MOST BULKHEAD OF THE TAIL SECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BUENA VISTA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81211
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BUENA VISTA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7V1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 7980
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1396
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33977
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38924
NTSB Number DEN87LA236
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LET
Aircraft Model L-13
Aircraft Series Identifier L-13
Aircraft Serial Number 025319
Certified Max Gross Weight 1102
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1852
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENVER SOARING COUNCIL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6184 SOUTH CHERRY COURT
Aircraft Owner City LITTLETON
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80121
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENVER SOARING COUNCIL, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6184 SOUTH CHERRY COURT
Operator City LITTLETON
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80121
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1V5
Departure City BOULDER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --