Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico, November 23, 2001
On November 23, 2001 at about 10:13 pm local time, a Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D (glider), registered N2078D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico (Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona 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 pilot's failure to maintain altitude and clearance with small trees during a precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2001 · about 10:13 pm local time
- Place
- Alamogordo, New Mexico · Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eiriavion Oy PIK 20D · all PIK 20Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2078D · registry record · serial 20593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that shortly after an aero tow takeoff the flight encountered a strong wind gust which "caused the glider to balloon dangerously high above the tow plane." The pilot elected to release the tow rope at approximately 200 feet above ground level. An immediate right turn was initiated to an intersecting runway. The glider did not have sufficient altitude to make the runway and, subsequently, the right wing impacted small trees and the ground. The glider then ground looped 180 degrees and slid approximately 50 feet before coming to rest upright. The pilot reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 350 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The automated weather observation facility on the airport reported the wind as from 210 degrees at 4 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,258 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 6,100 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 5, 2001
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,732 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 22, 2000; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 990 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALM Alamogordo NM at 10:10 pm
- Destination: ALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,512 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 FTW02LA043.