Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alamogordo, New Mexico 88311
Thursday, May 24, 2001 12:16 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The two pilots had arrived from Europe 3 days before the accident to take part in a 2 week long world record soaring attempt. They departed on runway 21 (elevation 4,200 feet) in a self-launch motorized glider and turned east towards the mesa (elevation 9,100 feet). A fellow pilot said that the motor is usually stowed at 1,000 meters, and the stowing process takes between 2 to 3 minutes. The aircraft is flown strictly as a glider after that. The glider disappeared from radar approximately 10 minutes later. Two other gliders departed within 30 minutes, and they reported good uplift and strong downdrafts. The mesa top was heavily forested and the temperature was approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the departure airport. The downed glider was found 3 days later, and the impact signatures suggest a flight track of 235 degrees. The accident aircraft was found approximately 300 to 400 yards from the western edge of the mesa. The toxicological report on the second pilot (the pilot flying) indicated that he had Phenobarbital in his liver and kidney. The FAA does not approve of this prescribed medication in pilots, while they are on flight status.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight crew's inadequate in-flight planning to fly over the mesa with insufficient altitude. A contributing factor was the downdraft weather condition

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/2001
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1216
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Alamogordo
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88311
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324535N
Event Location Longitude 1054828W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1211 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID ALM
Elevation of weather observation facility 4200
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) 12731
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12969
NTSB Notification Source FAA SW COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date May 27 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2003 4:06PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albuquerque, NM

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11ZQ
NTSB Number DEN01FA105
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schempp-Hirth
Aircraft Model Nimbus-3DM
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 23
Certified Max Gross Weight 1808
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 29 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 211
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAJ, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 923 Sylvan CT.
Aircraft Owner City Powell
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82435
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ALM
Departure City Alamogordo
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1155
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 Climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 7 2003 4:01PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight --
Medical Flight --