Schweizer 84 accident near Aspen, Colorado, August 29, 1982
On August 29, 1982 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Schweizer 84 (glider), registered N5742S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Sardy Field). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1982 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Sardy Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 84
- Registration
- N5742S · no longer on the register · serial SGS 2-33A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT LOW ALTITUDE AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT HIT TURBULENCE AND THE TOW ROPE BROKE. THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HAVING INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE, HE LANDED ON A RAILROAD TRACK AND COLLIDED WITH BUSHES. THE LEFT WING CANOPY AND NOSE WERE 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 516 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,270 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 6,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.