# NTSB CEN11CA166: Mcholland C L Solitare, N15XP, Wellington, CO, January 29, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: January 29, 2011, 15:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: Wellington, CO
- Coordinates: 40.802776, -104.984169 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8028&lon=-104.9842&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 8, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Denver FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 78257
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA166
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78257/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78257
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA166

## Probable cause

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

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Wind: sudden wind shift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 114 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md)
- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Air traffic event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/100); cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/100/sequence.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 115 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/100/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370) (defining event); cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05676K5), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

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.

## Factual 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 a further flight distance. The pilot said that he turned his base leg for landing too far away from the intended runway and that he did not anticipate the substantial downdraft and very strong headwind which 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 the right wing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N15XP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15XP), registered now, S/N 30, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCHOLLAND C L SOLITARE
- Registry model: [Mcholland C L SOLITAIRE](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcholland-c-l-solitaire) (registry code 05676K5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number: 30
- Airframe hours: 377
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, March 22, 2010
- Departed: 4CO2, Wellington, CO
- Destination: 4CO2, Wellington, CO
- Airport: 4CO2, Owl Canyon Gliderport, runway 27, 1,800 × 50 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 23, 2011; seat: front; flight hours: 784 total, 10 in this make and model, 682 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20110129001039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110129001039A), Jan 29, 2011: Mcholland C SOLITAIRE, Wellington, CO, Substantial damage. Aircraft was on short final to runway 27 at 4CO2. Upon crossing interstate highway 25 a severe unexpected down draft was encounted. The runway was not…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 24, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78257. 851 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 346 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40343373&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Map (item 2, .PDF, 491 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344911&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map-Master.PDF
- Weather Summary (item 3, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344912&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Summary-Master.PDF

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.

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