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CEN11CA166

2011-01-29 · Wellington, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 4CO2

Current FAA registration · N15XP

Make / Model
MCHOLLAND C L SOLITAIRE
Year of manufacture
1997 · 14 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19970919
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0C9F1

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The glider pilot’s misjudgment while approaching to land, which resulted in an off-airport landing.

Factual narrative

The glider pilot reported he was returning to land when he noticed another glider waiting for departure on the runway. He elected to land instead on another runway that required that he fly a further flight distance. The pilot said that he turned his base leg for landing too far away from the intended runway and that he did not anticipate the substantial downdraft and very strong headwind which he encountered on final approach. The glider landed approximately 500 feet short of the intended runway and impacted terrain and a railroad embankment causing substantial damage to the glider's fuselage and the right wing. The glider pilot reported he was returning to land when he noticed another glider waiting for departure on the runway. He elected to land instead on another runway that required that he fly further. The pilot said that he turned on the base leg of the traffic pattern too far away from the intended runway and that he did not anticipate the substantial downdraft and very strong headwind that he encountered on final approach. The glider landed approximately 500 feet short of the intended runway and impacted terrain and a railroad embankment, causing substantial damage to the glider's fuselage and right wing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Sudden wind shift-Contributed to outcome
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Downdraft-Contributed to outcome
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_CEN11CA166.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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