McHolland C L SOLITARE N15XP

Summary

On 29 January 2011 at about 22:15 local time, a McHolland C L SOLITARE registered N15XP was involved in an accident near Wellington, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 January 2011 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Wellington, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Owl Canyon Gliderport (4CO2)

Coordinates

40.8028, -104.9842

Aircraft

McHolland C L SOLITARE

Registration

N15XP

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wellington → Wellington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11CA166

Nobody was injured.

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

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.