20030807019859A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Sphrth VENTUS B/16.6 · Gross Reservoir, CO · August 7, 2003

Date: August 7, 2003 · 14:15 local
Place: Gross Reservoir, CO
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N25RN
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA143
Reported as: Sphrth VENTUSB166
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 800 total170 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N25RNRegistration cancelled Nov 25, 2003 · Schempp-Hirth VENTUS B/16.6S/N 221 · Built 1985 Airframe modelSchempp-Hirth VENTUS B/16.6 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Mr. Bogdanovich (mr.b) stated he was on a cross country soaring trip when the thunderstorm front developed very rapidly along the front range. He decided to abort the x-country and return to 1V5. Storms walled off the return, so Mr. B elected to attempt to set the glider down in Gross Reservoir. The result caused substantial damage to the glider, but Mr. B escaped with no injuries. The (soaring) weather package he stated that he received showed that "overdevelopment was possible around 1600L." The buildups that kept Mr. B from returning to boulder actually occurred at approximately 1330L according to the pilot.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. BOGDANOVICH (MR.B) STATED HE WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY SOARING TRIP WHEN THE THUNDERSTORM FRONT DEVELOPED VERY RAPIDLY ALONG THE FRONT RANGE. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE X-COUNTRY AND RETURN TO 1V5. STORMS WALLED OFF THE RETURN, SO MR. B ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO SET THE GLIDER DOWN IN GROSS RESERVOIR. THE RESULT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER, BUT MR. B ESCAPED WITH NO INJURIES. THE (SOARING) WEATHER PACKAGE HE STATED THAT HE RECEIVED SHOWED THAT "OVERDEVELOPMENT WAS POSSIBLE AROUND 1600L." THE BUILDUPS THAT KEPT MR. B FROM RETURNING TO BOULDER ACTUALLY OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 1330L ACCORDING TO THE PILOT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN03LA143Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBoulder, COpilot's improper in-flight planning and decision making. Contributing factors include the thunderstorms, the lack of suitable terrain available for a precautionary landing and the water.Aug 7, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N25RN · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19850810037809ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Colorado Spring, COLifted off before tow plane, pitched up and stalled. Right wing and nose impacted runway.Aug 10, 1985 · Substantial damage