Alamagordo-White Sands Rg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310
Wednesday, January 1, 1986 16:23 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON RETURNING TO THE ARPT, THE PLT DECIDED TO MAKE A FLY-BY. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON A MODIFIED DOWNWIND AT AN ALT OF APRX 50 FT AGL, THE GLIDER WHICH HE WAS PILOTING ENCOUNTERED ADVERSE WINDS AND DOWNDRAFTS. CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST AND IT DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO GROUND CONTACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/1/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1623
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ALAMOGORDO
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88310
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALAMAGORDO-WHITE SANDS RG
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 271
Weather Observation Facility ID HMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4093
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 329
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5166
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 502
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30794
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N166JD
NTSB Number DEN86LA059
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHEMPP-HIRTH
Aircraft Model VENTUS-B
Aircraft Series Identifier VENTUS-B
Aircraft Serial Number 209
Certified Max Gross Weight 700
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 Oct 4 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 186
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JIM DAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 904 HIGH SIERRA
Aircraft Owner City ALAMOGORDO
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88310
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
Departure City ALAMOGORDO
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1458
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 7005
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --