Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longmont, Colorado 80501
Sunday, May 4, 1986 16:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS EXPERIMENTAL GLIDER HAS A STOWABLE 2 CYCLE ENG MOUNTED BEHIND THE COCKPIT. WHEN THE ENG IS STOWED THE GLIDE RATIO IS ABOUT 40:1. WHEN THE ENG IS DEPLOYED BUT NOT RUNNING, THE GLIDE RATIO IS ABOUT 10:1. WHILE RETURNING AFTER A 4 HR AND 50 MIN FLT THE PLT DECIDED ENG PWR WOULD BE NEEDED TO REACH THE ARPT. HE DEPLOYED THE ENG BUT IT WOULD NOT START. AN OFF ARPT FORCED LANDING WAS NECESSARY AND THE ACFT HIT A TREE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/4/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LONGMONT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80501
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5654
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 426
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 5 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30761
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40Z
NTSB Number DEN86LA127
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GLASER-DIRKS
Aircraft Model DG-400
Aircraft Series Identifier DG-400
Aircraft Serial Number 4-144
Certified Max Gross Weight 1056
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 31 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 43
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD W. SELBY, III
Aircraft Owner Street Address SALINA STAR ROUTE
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80302
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
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 1200
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --