# Accident 20210620007909A: Schweizer SGS 1-35, Wellington, CO, June 20, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 20, 2021, 18:00 local time
- Place: Wellington, CO
- Airport: Owl Canyon
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7039° N, 105.0086° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7039&lon=-105.0086&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2851H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2851H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer SGS 1-35 (registry code 8050148, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER SGS 1-35
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 253 total, 208 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA281) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210620007909A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 20 2021 AT 1800 N2851H SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING AT OWL CANYON GLIDERPORT 4CO2.

THE PIC HAD TRAILERED HIS GLIDER TO THIS GLIDERPORT. HE HAD NEVER FLOWN OUT OF THIS AIRPORT BEFORE. DURING HIS FIRST APPROACH AND LANDING HE OVERSHOT HIS BASE TO FINAL TURN AND LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA.  ONCE HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO FAR AWAY AND TOO LOW TO MAKE THE RUNWAY HE MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. HE GROUND LOOPED AFTER ENTERING A LARGE DITCH WHICH CONTORTED THE FUSELAGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER.

## 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 CEN21LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA281), Jun 20, 2021: Schweizer SGS 1-35 (N2851H), Wellington, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The glider pilot’s loss of visual references during the landing approach resulting in an off-airport landing on rough sloping terrain.

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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