Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
Learn from Colorado's accident history to fly safer in the Rockies
2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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Minor/None
DURANGO, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
On July 15, 1995, at 1230 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer SGS 126B Glider, N8611R, sustained substantial damage during an off airport landing near Durango, Colorado. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area student solo training flight, and no flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot, he encountered weather conditions which caused a sink rate to develop and he could not find thermals for lift. He said he made an off airport landing in the only field within his gliding range and the glider struck a fence. INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
According to the pilot, he encountered weather conditions which caused a sink rate to develop and he could not find thermals for lift. He said he made an off airport landing in the only field within his gliding range and the glider struck a fence. INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
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Details
| NTSB Report | FTW95LA305 |
| Aircraft | SCHWEIZER SGS 126B |
| Registration | N8611R |
| Damage | SUBS |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 37.2709, -107.8800 |
