Glasflugel H201B N17TD
4 May 2009 · Meadow Lake Airport, Colorado, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 May 2009 at about 19:07 local time, a Glasflugel H201B registered N17TD was involved in an accident near Meadow Lake Airport, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:07
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Meadow Lake Airport, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Meadow Lake (OOV)
- Coordinates
- 39.0301, -104.4802
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel H201B
- Registration
- N17TD
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Flight Test
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Meadow Lake → Meadow Lake
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN09LA278
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
A programming anomaly within the winch's computer aided launch control system, which incorrectly limited the maximum winch speed during launch of the glider.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The glider flight was being conducted to test the operation of a prototype winch launch system utilizing a computer aided launch control (CALC) hydrostatic system. During the launch, a programming anomaly within CALC limited the maximum winch speed to 32 miles per hour, causing the winch cable to release as the glider climbed away from the ground. The pilot pushed the nose of the glider down, but insufficient altitude was available to recover the glider. The glider impacted the runway in a level attitude, cracking the fuselage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Glasflugel H201B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 1974 | Glasflugel H201B | Baker, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Feb 2009 | Aviat A-1C | Denver, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 2009 | Cessna 172N | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Alliance Flight Training, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jun 2009 | Boeing 757-222 | Denver, Colorado, United States | United Air Lines Inc | No injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 2009 | Cessna 182T | Rangely, Colorado, United States | Global Lease Finance LLC | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Cessna CE-560 | Kremmling, Colorado, United States | NetJets | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-18 | Aspen, Colorado, United States | Culwell Charles W DBA | No injuries | - |