Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2C accident near Greensboro, Vermont, August 4, 2007
On August 4, 2007 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2C (glider), registered N60LK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greensboro, Vermont. 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 delayed decision to divert to a suitable landing area. Contributing to the accident was the uneven terrain of the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2007 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greensboro, Vermont · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2C · all Ventus-2Cs on the register
- Registration
- N60LK · no longer on the register · serial 106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed the airport on a local flight in his sailplane, and flew to a point approximately 65 miles to the east. During the return leg of the flight, the "lift deteriorated" and the "headwind increased." The pilot realized he would not reach the airport, so he opted to perform a precautionary landing. He selected a "large hayfield," and the "approach and landing were successful." However, during the rollout, the left wingtip contacted terrain, and the sailplane groundlooped to the left causing substantial damage.. At the time of the accident, the surface winds, approximately 40 miles west of the accident site, were recorded as 350 degrees at 18 knots, with gusts to 23 knots. The recorded surface winds for the 2 hours prior to this were similar, with directions of 010 to 350 degrees, and speeds of 12 to13 knots and gusts of 18 to 20 knots. In his report to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot noted that he should have "diverted to an airport" sooner.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,074 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 2,950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0B7 Warren VT at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 0B7 Warren VT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from KBTV, 40 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.
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.