Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE accident near Fields, Oregon, July 25, 2024
On July 25, 2024 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1968 Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE (glider), registered N1599, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Fields, Oregon. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The glider’s encounter with a gusting wind and downdraft conditions, which resulted in exceedance of the glider’s critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2024 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fields, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel STANDARD LIBELLE, built 1968 · all STANDARD LIBELLEs on the register
- Registration
- N1599 · registry record · serial 24
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the glider reported that desert storm fronts had been moving in and out of the area during her flight. When the wind increased, and the glider was unable to maintain or regain altitude due to an absence of thermal activity the pilot elected to land off airport between two approaching storms. The pilot lowered the nose to maintain airspeed; however, during the landing flare, the glider encountered a gusting wind and a downdraft, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall about 3-4 ft above the ground. The glider then landed hard, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Hard landing during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 38 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 29, 2023
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 695 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Fields OR at 6:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 22 knots, gusting 31
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from KREO, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KREO 252052Z AUTO 22022G31KT 37/03 A3005 RMK AO1 PK WND 26032
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2025. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Additional Information/statement from Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR24LA273.