Scheibe Flugzeugbau BERGFALKE II-55 accident near Bozeman, Montana, March 18, 1995
On March 18, 1995 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Scheibe Flugzeugbau BERGFALKE II-55 (glider), registered N5924, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bozeman, Montana (Gallatin Field). It was an instructional 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 MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE FROM THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1995 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bozeman, Montana · Gallatin Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Scheibe Flugzeugbau BERGFALKE II-55 BERGFALKE
- Registration
- N5924 · no longer on the register · serial 85
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RELIED ON THE ALTIMETER TO DETERMINE ELEVATION, EVEN THOUGH HE FELT THAT HE WAS LOW. WHILE TURNING BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS TOO LOW AND WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. DURING A LEFT TURN TO MANEUVER TO AN ACCESS ROAD, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE GLIDER SPUN AROUND BEFORE COMING TO REST. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT GET THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING FROM THE FSS BEFORE LANDING, AND NOTED THAT THE ALTIMETER READING WAS 170 FT HIGHER THAN FIELD ELEVATION.
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
- Flight time: 101 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 970 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,650 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from BZN
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 N5924 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.