Schweizer SGS 1-36 accident near Boulder, CO
On November 2, 1996, a Schweizer SGS 1-36 (glider) was involved in an accident near Boulder, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 2, 1996
- Place
- Boulder, CO
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 1-36 · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.021°N, 105.250°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07019
NTSB summary
HISTORT OF FLIGHT On November 2, 1996, at 1344 mountain standard time, a Schweizer SGS 1-36, N3616Z, operated by The Cloud Base, was destroyed when it broke up in flight and impacted terrain in Boulder, Colorado. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Boulder, Colorado, on November 2, 1996, approximately 1300. According to the tow plane pilot, the pilot of N3616Z asked him for a tow and said he would like to leave the traffic pattern on the north side and maneuver so as to reach 8,500 (feet) msl before crossing the first ridge west of the airport. The tow plane pilot said that during the tow, he found the air to be smooth with little lift in the area. The pilot of N3616Z released from the tow at 11,300 feet msl in the vicinity of the water treatment plant by Boulder Canyon. Numerous witnesses were interviewed and seventeen witnesses submitted written statements (attached), giving their locations and what they observed. Each witness statement was numbered and their locations were plotted on a witness location chart (attached). Twelve witnesses said they heard a loud noise. The noise was variously described as a loud boom (3, 10), snap or crack (8), clap (14), or pop (15), followed by a loud shrill (2), strong whoosh (7), or rushing sound (14). Looking up, they observed the aircraft spiraling or spinning to the ground (3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15). Others said it was in a steep descent (7) or went straigh
Probable cause
The pilot exceeding the design stress limits of the aircraft by performing an aerobatic maneuver, resulting in total failure of the wing spar.
More accidents in CO
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14, Nov 15, 1987
- Grumman Gulfstream III, Mar 30, 2001
- Beech 1900, Jan 28, 2026
- Douglas DC3, Mar 9, 2019
- Piper PA-31-350, Dec 3, 2014
Browse: Colorado · Schweizer aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
