Lake County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Lake, Colorado 80447
Saturday, July 6, 1985 16:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON RETURNING FROM A 300-KILOMETER CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, IN A GLIDER THE PILOT NOTICED THE ABSENCE OF THERMAL ACTIVITY AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT SAID HE LANDED WITH A 2-5 KNOT TAILWIND AND HIS APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN SPEED WAS TOO FAST. THE GLIDER STRUCK A SMALL HOLE, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE GLIDER GROUNDLOOPED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRAND LAKE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80447
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LXV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 11
Degrees magnetic from airport 6
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1543 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 113
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5654
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 11827
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) 641
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28237
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N563Y
NTSB Number DEN85LA185
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 EIRIAVION OY
Aircraft Model PIK-20B
Aircraft Series Identifier PIK-20B
Aircraft Serial Number 20120C
Certified Max Gross Weight 750
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 Apr 17 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 950
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID C. DOOLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2902 SHADOW CREEK DR. #306
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80303
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM D. RAY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1410 GARFIELD COURT
Operator City LOUISVILLE
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80027
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 LXV
Departure City LEADVILLE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 Landing
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --