Amateur-built XENOS MOTORGLIDER accident near Minden, Nevada, March 11, 2017
On March 11, 2017 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built XENOS MOTORGLIDER, registered N56FD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control in variable wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2017 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built XENOS MOTORGLIDER NO SERIES, built 2012
- Registration
- N56FD · registry record · serial XNS-019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during touchdown, the airplane "weathervaned to the left and full right rudder could not keep it on the runway." Subsequently, the main landing gear dug into the soft mud, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 6 knots. The pilot landed on runway 34.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,277 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 4,078 as pilot in command; 1,296 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 27, 2015
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 12, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,275 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300A (piston); 74 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MEV Minden NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,399 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KMEV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 GAA17CA190.