- Date
- May 15, 1993, 11:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Peyton, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N555ABSchleicher ASH 25 E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930515013759A
- Case key
- 18291
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The encounter with a downdraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After launching via aero tow and obtaining an altitude of between two and four feet, the motorized glider (engine not operating) and tow plane sank towards the ground. The left wing of the glider contacted the ground, causing it to turn left. The glider pilot released from the tow plane, but he was unable to avoid ground looping. Winds at Colorado springs, located 13 miles southwest of the accident site, shortly after the accident were reported to be from 105 degrees at 5 knots with gusts to 10 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N555AB
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASH 25 E
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 25041
- Airframe hours
- 450
- Engine
- Rotax 275, 26 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Packard, Michael K.
- Registered owner
- Packard, Michael K.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 1992 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- 00V
- Destination
- 00V
- Airport
- 00V · Meadow Lake
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 323 total · 123 in this make and model · 296 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 105° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.