Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE accident near Wellington, Colorado, June 5, 1994
On June 5, 1994 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE (glider), registered N3992, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellington, Colorado. 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
WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE CROSSWIND. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1994 · about 7:30 pm local time · cases in 1994
- Place
- Wellington, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE STANDARD L · all STANDARD LIBELLEs on the register
- Registration
- N3992 · registry record · serial 219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER WAS TOWED ALOFT AND RELEASED AT 2,000 FEET AGL. THE PILOT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED 'STRONG SINK' AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE GLIDERPORT. HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT LOW ALTITUDE AND WHEN HE TURNED ONTO THE BASE LEG, HE REALIZED HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES BETWEEN HIM AND THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO THE WIND BUT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE, AND THE GLIDER LANDED IN A FIELD 'WITH A STRONG RIGHT SIDE DRIFT.' WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL CONTACTED THE GROUND, THE 'SIDE MOTION' CAUSED THE TAIL BOOM TO SEPARATE.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,510 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,510 as pilot in command; 101 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 610 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1994; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 695 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3992 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE 54 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Glasflugel 191 aircraft on the register
- Engine: · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,485 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW94LA197.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.