Glasflugel H-301 accident near Los Lunas, New Mexico, May 28, 1983
On May 28, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Glasflugel H-301 (glider), registered N1017, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Lunas, New Mexico (Mid Valley 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
- May 28, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Los Lunas, New Mexico · Mid Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel H-301 · all H-301s on the register
- Registration
- N1017 · registry record · serial 41
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER GROUND LOOPED OFF THE RWY AFTER THE WINGTIP CONTACTED TALL GRASS. THE ACFT HAD GONE TO THE RIGHT EARLY IN THETOW BUT THE PLT THOUGHT THE TOW WOULD STRAIGHTEN HIM OUT EVEN AFTER THE WING DROPPED TO THE GROUND. WHEN THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED TALL GRASS & A BUSH, THE ACFT YAWED RIGHT AND WENT INTO A DITCH.
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: 585 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 530 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°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.
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.