Rolladen-Schneider LS-6A accident near Green River, Utah, June 11, 1998
On June 11, 1998 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LS-6A (glider), registered N511M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Green River, Utah (Green River 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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed. Factor's were the unforecasted weather (tail wind) and the inadvertent stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1998 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Green River, Utah · Green River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LS-6A · all LS-6As on the register
- Registration
- N511M · registry record · serial 6037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the co-owner of the glider, the pilot was given an auto-tow launch from the runway and he believed that the pilot released at approximately 700 feet agl. The co-owner observed the glider circling southwest of the runway, but was losing altitude. The pilot stated that he encountered 'heavy sink almost immediately after tow release.' The co-owner further observed the glider fly over the runway, but 'was too high too land straight ahead.' The pilot further reported that 'he turned left to return to the runway and the glider began to rotate left.' The pilot said that he 'got the right rudder in and the rotation stopped within 90 degrees.' The co-owner stated that 'an apparent wind gust from above or behind caused the glider to nose down.' The pilot stated that 'just as the rotation stopped, the left wing tip impacted the ground.'
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 910 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 860 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 915 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1998; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,157 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U34 at 6:15 pm
- Destination: PVC Price UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from GJT, 100 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.
Other NTSB records under N511M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW98LA262.