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CEN21LA281

2021-06-20 · Wellington, Colorado, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N2851H

Make / Model
SCHWEIZER SGS 1-35
Year of manufacture
1976 · 45 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19760116
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2E311

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The glider pilot’s loss of visual references during the landing approach resulting in an off-airport landing on rough sloping terrain.

Factual narrative

The glider pilot reported that during base leg to final approach for landing, he lost sight of the runway, forcing him having to maneuver to avoid a house and to perform an off-field landing on rough sloping terrain. The glider impacted the ground hard, ground-looped, and came to rest in a large ditch. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and left wing. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot also reported that this was his first landing at this airport and that he should have flown an orientation flight with another pilot familiar with the airport. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusion-Situational awareness-Pilot
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Sloped/uneven terrain-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_CEN21LA281.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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