Schweizer 1-35 accident near Sparks, Nevada, June 23, 2004
On June 23, 2004 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 1-35 (glider), registered N2874H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sparks, Nevada (Air Sailing Gliderport 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 pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance resulting in an undershoot of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2004 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sparks, Nevada · Air Sailing Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 1-35
- Registration
- N2874H · no longer on the register · serial 54
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider landed short of runway and impacted terrain. While turning onto base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot noticed a significant decrease in ground speed, which he attributed to being the result of a strong headwind. Just before turning onto final approach, about 400 feet agl, the glider experienced an increase in sink rate and a decrease in airspeed (about 5 to 10 knots indicated airspeed). He lowered the nose in an effort to increase the airspeed and counteract the sink, but the glider continued toward the ground. Just before impacting the ground in a nose low attitude, the pilot pulled back on the stick in an effort to pitch the nose up and cushion the impact. The glider collided with terrain in a flat attitude. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the aircraft.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,543 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NV23 Sparks NV
- Destination: NV23 Sparks NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.