Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3DM accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico, May 24, 2001
On May 24, 2001 at about 6:16 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3DM (glider), registered N11ZQ, was destroyed in an accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's inadequate in-flight planning to fly over the mesa with insufficient altitude. A contributing factor was the downdraft weather condition
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2001 · about 6:16 pm local time
- Place
- Alamogordo, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3DM · all Nimbus-3DMs on the register
- Registration
- N11ZQ · no longer on the register · serial 23
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The two pilots had arrived from Europe 3 days before the accident to take part in a 2 week long world record soaring attempt. They departed on runway 21 (elevation 4,200 feet) in a self-launch motorized glider and turned east towards the mesa (elevation 9,100 feet). A fellow pilot said that the motor is usually stowed at 1,000 meters, and the stowing process takes between 2 to 3 minutes. The aircraft is flown strictly as a glider after that. The glider disappeared from radar approximately 10 minutes later. Two other gliders departed within 30 minutes, and they reported good uplift and strong downdrafts. The mesa top was heavily forested and the temperature was approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the departure airport. The downed glider was found 3 days later, and the impact signatures suggest a flight track of 235 degrees. The accident aircraft was found approximately 300 to 400 yards from the western edge of the mesa. The toxicological report on the second pilot (the pilot flying) indicated that he had Phenobarbital in his liver and kidney. The FAA does not approve of this prescribed medication in pilots, while they are on flight status.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,249 hours in all; 811 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,249 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,370 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 6,370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 211 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 2001; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,808 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 535 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALM Alamogordo NM at 5:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:11 pm from ALM, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 DEN01FA105.