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WPR25LA015

2024-10-11 · Moriarty, New Mexico, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 0E0

Current FAA registration · N41FL

Make / Model
GLASFLUGEL STANDARD LIBELLE
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19920511
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4D24F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glidepath, which resulted in the glider landing on rough terrain short of the runway.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the glider reported that, while on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, he partially deployed the flight spoilers and extended his downwind leg as the glider was too high. He misjudged his distance to the runway during this time and the glider lost more altitude than the pilot had anticipated. The pilot flared during final; however, the glider impacted rough terrain short of the runway threshold. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Rough terrain-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_WPR25LA015.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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