Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE accident near Red River, New Mexico, July 24, 1995
On July 24, 1995 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE (glider), registered N2972, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red River, New Mexico. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LACK OF COMPENSATION FOR THE TAILWIND AND HIS ENSUING FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF THERMAL LIFT AND THE TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1995 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Red River, New Mexico · 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
- N2972 · registry record · serial 282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE SOARING OVER A CANYON, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED AN 'ATMOSPHERIC CONDITION OF SINK' AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY THERMAL ACTIVITY. HE DECIDED TO 'LAND OUT IN DIFFICULT TERRAIN' AND SELECTED THE 'SINGLE' AVAILABLE SITE, A MEADOW 'LESS THAN 1/4 MILE' LONG. 'CANYON NARROWNESS' REQUIRED A 'STEEP 180 DEGREE TURN TO FINAL WITH 5 TO 8 KNOTS EXTRA APPROACH SPEED.' 'FLOAT CARRIED THE GLIDER' TO A TOUCHDOWN AT THE MEADOW'S 'MID-POINT' AND THE PILOT INITIATED A GROUND LOOP 'TO STOP.' AFTER EXITING THE GLIDER, THE PILOT REALIZED HE HAD LANDED WITH A TAILWIND OF '5+ 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 535 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 472 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1995; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SKX Taos NM at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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 FTW95LA326.