# Accident 20090712010369A: Szd SZD59, Durango, CO, July 12, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 12, 2009, 15:30 local time
- Place: Durango, CO
- Airport: Val Air
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3364° N, 107.8511° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3364&lon=-107.8511&mi=10
- Aircraft: N592JD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N592JD-2009-09-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pdps Pzl-Bielsko SZD-59 (registry code 8821649, https://openairdocs.org/model/pdps-pzl-bielsko-szd-59) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SZD SZD59
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 75 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN09CA434](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA434) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090712010369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT WAS ON APPROACH TO LAND RUNWAY 17.  WHEN THE PILOT TURNED FINAL HE SAW A TOW PLANE WITH A GLIDER TAKING-OFF RUNWAY 35.  THE PILOT TURNED RIGHT TO AVOID THE TOW PLANE.  HE STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO TURN AROUND 360 DEGREES IN A HARD TURN, TO AVOID THE PLANE AND TURN BACK ON FINAL.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET WHEN HE STARTED HIS TURN TO THE RIGHT.  IN THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREES TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.  THE NOSE AND FORWARD PORTION (INSTRUMENT PANEL) SECTIONS WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NOT ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT.  THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM THE TREES.  THE PILOT HAD BROKEN TIBIA AND A DISLOCATED FINGER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN09CA434](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA434), Jul 12, 2009: Pdps Pzl-Bielsko SZD-59 (N592JD), Durango, CO, destroyed. Probable cause: The glider pilot's decision to perform a low-altitude 360-degree turn while on final approach to land.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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