Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico, January 1, 1986
On January 1, 1986 at about 11:23 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B (glider), registered N166JD, was destroyed in an accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico (Alamagordo-White Sands Rg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- January 1, 1986 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- Alamogordo, New Mexico · Alamagordo-White Sands Rg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B · all VENTUS-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N166JD · no longer on the register · serial 209
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON RETURNING TO THE ARPT, THE PLT DECIDED TO MAKE A FLY-BY. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON A MODIFIED DOWNWIND AT AN ALT OF APRX 50 FT AGL, THE GLIDER WHICH HE WAS PILOTING ENCOUNTERED ADVERSE WINDS AND DOWNDRAFTS. CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST AND IT DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO GROUND CONTACT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 774 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 676 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 186 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Alamogordo NM at 9:58 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 329° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from HMN, 5 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 DEN86LA059.