Eiriavion Oy PIK-20B accident near Grand Lake, Colorado, July 6, 1985
On July 6, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Eiriavion Oy PIK-20B (glider), registered N563Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Lake, Colorado (Lake County airport). 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
- July 6, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Lake, Colorado · Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eiriavion Oy PIK-20B · all PIK-20Bs on the register
- Registration
- N563Y · no longer on the register · serial 20120C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON RETURNING FROM A 300-KILOMETER CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, IN A GLIDER THE PILOT NOTICED THE ABSENCE OF THERMAL ACTIVITY AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT SAID HE LANDED WITH A 2-5 KNOT TAILWIND AND HIS APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN SPEED WAS TOO FAST. THE GLIDER STRUCK A SMALL HOLE, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE GLIDER GROUNDLOOPED.
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: 270 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 223 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None O (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:43 pm from BJC, 40 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.
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.