Schleicher ASW 27 accident near Cedar Valley, Utah, May 26, 2014
On May 26, 2014 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1999 Schleicher ASW 27 (glider), registered N137ED, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cedar Valley, Utah (Cedar Valley 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 failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in inadvertent terrain contact by the wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2014 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Valley, Utah · Cedar Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW 27, built 1999 · all ASW 27s on the register
- Registration
- N137ED · registry record · serial 27102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while being towed behind a tow airplane for takeoff, there was a slight drop of the right wing. The pilot corrected with aileron control to level the wings and at this point, the left wing may have come in contact with the grass on the runway, which provided enough drag to turn the glider 180 degrees to the left. During the turn, the safety link released. The glider then rolled backwards before coming to rest. Postaccident examination of the left wing revealed that the left aileron was substantially damaged and had separated from its mounts in the wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 19,800 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 13, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 627 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: UT10 Cedar Valley UT
- Destination: UT10 Cedar Valley UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from KPVU, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 20, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1 – Damaged Aileron | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.