Schempp-Hirth Ventus B/16.6 accident near Salida, Colorado, October 26, 2007
On October 26, 2007 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus B/16.6 (glider), registered N36LB, was destroyed in an accident near Salida, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 aircraft control while maneuvering resulting in an inadvertent stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2007 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Salida, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus B/16.6 · all Ventus B/16.6s on the register
- Registration
- N36LB · registry record · serial 239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider was towed by an airplane to an altitude of 11,800 feet mean sea level (msl) approximately 7 miles south of the departure airport. The glider was released from the tow airplane, and the tow airplane returned to the airport to tow another glider to join the accident glider. Approximately 15 minutes later when the tow airplane returned with the other glider, the tow airplane and other glider attempted to contact the accident glider via radio. The attempts to contact the accident glider were unsuccessful. The glider was located in mountainous tree-covered terrain the next day. The weather at the time of the accident was reported as clear sky and light winds. Examination of the glider wreckage revealed the damage was consistent with a nose-low, vertical impact. No anomalies were noted with glider that would have precluded normal operations.
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: 621 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,637 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 948 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANK Salida CO at 7:14 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.54 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from MYP, 10 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 DEN08LA017.