Schleicher Alexander Gmbh & Co ASH 26 E accident near Wellington, CO
On August 31, 2023, a Schleicher Alexander Gmbh & Co ASH 26 E (glider) was involved in an accident near Wellington, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 31, 2023
- Place
- Wellington, CO
- Aircraft
- Schleicher Alexander Gmbh & Co ASH 26 E · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 40.865°N, 105.078°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230831192978
Official records · CEN23FA391
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 31, 2023, about 1339 mountain daylight time, a Schleicher Alexander GmbH & Co ASH 26E motor glider, N50FU, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Wellington, Colorado. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The glider was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Flight track data transmitted from an onboard recorder showed the self-launching motor glider departed to the northwest from the Owl Canyon Gliderport (4CO2), Wellington, Colorado, at 1320 (see figure 1). Figure 1. Flight track data from onboard recorder. During the climb, the pilot performed several turns, and the glider reached a maximum GPS-derived altitude of about 7,800 ft at 1330. The flight track data showed the glider then entered a steady descent on a northwest track, turned 180°, and flew southwest for about 2 miles before it turned back to the west. The last recorded position at 1339:43 showed the glider on a track of about 296°, with a ground speed of 60 kts and a GPS altitude of 5,948 ft, which was about 250 ft above ground level. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot’s flight history and hours of flight experience were obtained from his FAA medical certificate applications and Online Contest (OLC) Glider Logbook because his pilot logbook was not located. The OLC Logbook contained uploaded glider flights since 2007. The pilot’s last equivalent flight review was an annual check required for his Colorado Soaring Association membership. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe Schleicher Alexander GmbH & Co ASH 26E motor glider is self-launchin
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of glider control during approach for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery.
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Browse: Colorado
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
