DEN90LA175

1990-08-25 · ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ALM

Aircraft involved

N777XR Schleicher ASW-19 Serious

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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