Centrair 101A accident near Nephi, Utah, July 4, 2014
On July 4, 2014 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Centrair 101A (glider), registered N643CA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Nephi, Utah (Nephi Municipal 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 identify the proper landing surface which resulted in an off airstrip landing and collision with rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2014 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nephi, Utah · Nephi Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Centrair 101A · all 101As on the register
- Registration
- N643CA · registry record · serial 101A0188
- 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 on downwind he elected to land on the grass runway parallel to the asphalt runway. As he crossed the threshold for the landing area, he realized he was landing onto a grass field next to the grass runway. With the glider too low to transition to the grass runway, the pilot continued to land onto the field. During the landing sequence, the glider impacted two culverts and sustained substantial damage to the fiberglass fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would preclude normal operation of the glider.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 299 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 263 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 13, 2012
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 654 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 811 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: N/A N/A (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U14 Nephi UT at 7:40 pm
- Destination: U14 Nephi UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from PVU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR14CA321.