- Date
- July 16, 1993, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Boulder, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4362Glasflugel Standard Libell
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930716024229A
- Case key
- 11095
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
Improper rigging of the spoiler system by maintenance personnel, which caused an uncommanded spoiler deployment and prevented spoiler retraction by the pilot. A factor was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing
Analysis
According to the pilot, during initial climb following takeoff, while under tow on a glider flight, the spoilers deployed and could not be retracted. The pilot released from the tow and attempted to return to the airport. The glider impacted in a field approximately 1/2 mile short of the runway. The pilot stated that the spoilers had been misrigged.
Factual narrative
On July 16, 1993, at 1330 mountain daylight time, a Glasfugel Standard Libell glider, N4362, impacted the ground near the Boulder, Colorado, Airport. The pilot received minor injuries and the glider sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal flight which originated at the Boulder Airport.
According to the pilot, the spoilers deployed during takeoff and could not be retracted due to improper rigging. The pilot said he released from the tow and attempted to return to the airport. The aircraft impacted in a field across the street from the landing area.
The wings had been removed prior to examination of the aircraft and verification of spoiler rigging could not be conducted.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4362
- Reported as
- Glasflugel Standard Libell (STANDARD L)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 216
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Valas, Harry R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 1993
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 372 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BJC, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.