NTSB CAROL · Event
Event DEN90LA175
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT INDUCED OSCILLATIONS.
Factual narrative
WITNESSES REPORTED THE PRIVATE GLIDER PILOT OVER CONTROLLED THE GLIDER AT LIFTOFF DURING AN AIRCRAFT TOW. THE GLIDER ENTERED PILOT INDUCED OSCILLATIONS, STRUCK THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR WITH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY TWICE MORE, ENDING IN A REPORTED 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN IMPACT WITH THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT BROKE THE TAIL BOOM, SEPARATED THE RUDDER, ELEVATORS, AND CRUSHED THE COCKPIT. THE WITNESSES EXTRACTED THE PILOT AND AN AMBULANCE TOOK THE SERIOUSLY INJURED PILOT TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_DEN90LA175.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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