Schempp-Hirth Ventus B/16.6 accident near Boulder, Colorado, August 7, 2003
On August 7, 2003 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus B/16.6 (glider), registered N25RN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder, Colorado. 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
pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision making. Contributing factors include the thunderstorms, the lack of suitable terrain available for a precautionary landing and the water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2003 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus B/16.6 · all Ventus B/16.6s on the register
- Registration
- N25RN · registry record · serial 221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he noted the formation of thunderstorms and rain showers along his route of flight. He elected to return to the airport. During his return flight, thunderstorms developed along the foothills, just west of the airport. Due to the inadequate lift to sustain flight and with unsuitable terrain between his position and the airport, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing in the reservoir. During the precautionary landing, the glider was substantially damaged.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 867 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 799 as pilot in command; 439 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 10, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2003; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 1V5 Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:33 pm from BJC, 12 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.
Other NTSB records under N25RN the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 DEN03LA143.