Schweizer SGS 1-35C accident near Northfield, Minnesota, July 20, 2007
On July 20, 2007 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 1-35C (glider), registered N135EX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northfield, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall during the off-airport landing. A factor contributing to the accident was the dirt/rock pile.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2007 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Northfield, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 1-35C · all SGS 1-35Cs on the register
- Registration
- N135EX · registry record · serial 72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider was substantially damaged during an off-airport landing. The pilot stated that as he was returning from a flight about 7 miles west of the departure airport, he encountered heavy sink and found himself at 1,100 feet above ground level. The pilot then elected to make an off-airport landing to a cow pasture. He stated that his approach was "somewhat high, and [he] had to lose altitude while rapidly approaching the upslope terrain with a dirt/rock pile at the far end." The pilot stated that he pitched up to either lose speed, or avoid the dirt/rock pile, causing the glider to balloon. The glider then stalled about 5 to 10 feet above the ground and bounced "very hard." The glider's fuselage was subsequently found to have damage to the bulkhead and skins.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 328 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 876 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYN Stanton MN at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from SYN, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI07CA233.