What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 08/01/2025 at approximately 13:45 LCL, privacy data omitted an experimental Schleicher ASW27-18 glider, impacted terrain approximately 3NM southeast of Morgan county airport, (42U) on the northwest face of big mahogany mountain in Morgan county, Utah. The glider departed 42U with the towing aircraft at approximately 13:30 local time. The pilot towing privacy data omitted stated that upon reaching 8,200 MSL, the glider was released in an area around the front face of the big mahogany mountain. The tow aircraft returned to the airfield to retrieve another glider, and then returned to the same area. The pilot flying the tow aircraft stated that he saw a column of smoke coming from the mountain. Two other pilots flying gliders in the area also witnessed the smoke. The fire was reported to local law enforcement, and it was discovered that privacy data omitted was the source and that it was a post crash fire. The accident resulted in the fatality of the one individual on board. It is undetermined at this time as to what caused the accident. Internal ADS-B data was unavailable. Weather reports for that time indicate nothing to show that weather could have been a factor. Maintenance records were inspected, and the aircraft appeared airworthy and up to date on inspections. The pilot was rated and current at the time of the accident. At this time, it has been determined that the crash was a result of the glider impacting the terrain with no further reliable information.
As the FAA filed it
ON 08/01/2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 13:45 LCL, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AN EXPERIMENTAL SCHLEICHER ASW27-18 GLIDER, IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 3NM SOUTHEAST OF MORGAN COUNTY AIRPORT, (42U) ON THE NORTHWEST FACE OF BIG MAHOGANY MOUNTAIN IN MORGAN COUNTY, UTAH. THE GLIDER DEPARTED 42U WITH THE TOWING AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 13:30 LOCAL TIME. THE PILOT TOWING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT UPON REACHING 8,200 MSL, THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED IN AN AREA AROUND THE FRONT FACE OF THE BIG MAHOGANY MOUNTAIN. THE TOW AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE AIRFIELD TO RETRIEVE ANOTHER GLIDER, AND THEN RETURNED TO THE SAME AREA. THE PILOT FLYING THE TOW AIRCRAFT STATED THAT HE SAW A COLUMN OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE MOUNTAIN. TWO OTHER PILOTS FLYING GLIDERS IN THE AREA ALSO WITNESSED THE SMOKE. THE FIRE WAS REPORTED TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE SOURCE AND THAT IT WAS A POST CRASH FIRE. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE FATALITY OF THE ONE INDIVIDUAL ON BOARD. IT IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. INTERNAL ADS-B DATA WAS UNAVAILABLE. WEATHER REPORTS FOR THAT TIME INDICATE NOTHING TO SHOW THAT WEATHER COULD HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE INSPECTED, AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED AIRWORTHY AND UP TO DATE ON INSPECTIONS. THE PILOT WAS RATED AND CURRENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AT THIS TIME, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE CRASH WAS A RESULT OF THE GLIDER IMPACTING THE TERRAIN WITH NO FURTHER RELIABLE INFORMATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.