# NTSB GAA18CA389: Schweizer SGS 1 34, N134BC, Boulder, CO, June 27, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 27, 2018, 15:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place: Boulder, CO
- Coordinates: 40.039165, -105.226387 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0392&lon=-105.2264&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 97663
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA389
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97663/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97663
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA389

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)
- [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Schweizer SGS 1-34, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8050146), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, about 10 ft above ground, the glider was "hit by a tail gust/downdraft," then it landed hard. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 8 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The pilot landed the glider on runway 8G.

## Factual narrative

The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, about 10 ft above ground, the airplane was "hit by a tail gust/downdraft" and the glider landed hard. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 8 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 10 knots, gusting 14 knots. The glider landed on runway 8G.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N134BC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N134BC), registered now, S/N 85, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Schweizer SGS 1 34 (Undesignat)
- Registry model: [Schweizer SGS 1-34](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-34) (registry code 8050146) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 85
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 5015
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Soaring Society Of Boulder Inc
- Registered owner: Soaring Society Of Boulder Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 29, 2017
- Departed: BDU, Boulder, CO
- Destination: BDU, Boulder, CO
- Airport: BDU, Boulder Muni, runway 8G, 4,100 × 20 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 15; injuries: none; student; seat: single; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 32.4 total, 6.5 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observed at: KBDU, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20180627008709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180627008709A), Jun 27, 2018: Schweizer SGS 1-34, Boulder, CO, Substantial damage. On June 27, 2018 at approximately 1515 hours mountain daylight time at the Boulder, CO airport (bdu) a model Schweizer sgs 1-34 glider, N134BC piloted by…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 4, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97663. 1.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 885 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467242&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Student Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467243&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 224 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467244&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-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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