Schleicher ASW 20 N878S

Summary

On 23 August 2015 at about 18:37 local time, a Schleicher ASW 20 registered N878S was involved in an accident near Hempstead, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 August 2015 at 18:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Hempstead, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.1119, -96.0381

Aircraft

Schleicher ASW 20

Registration

N878S

Category

Glider

Year built

1979

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waller → Waller

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA376

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an attempted off-airport landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a personal local flight in the glider. The tow pilot reported that the glider was uneventfully towed to and released at the prearranged altitude of 2,000 ft above ground level (agl). GPS data from the glider showed that it flew patterns consistent with maneuvers to gain altitude in areas of lift. The remainder of the glider's flight was downward and it did not reach an altitude greater than about 300 ft agl during the remaining flight segment, indicating that the pilot was likely attempting an off-airport landing. The data then showed that the glider flew into an area bounded by power lines and then the recording stopped. After a power interruption on the ground was detected, the glider was found near damaged power lines. An examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies. A family member indicated that the pilot made a cell phone call during the accident flight; however, the cell phone did not have any record of a call being made during the flight. Although the pilot's autopsy revealed that he had significant coronary artery disease and left ventricular hypertrophy, which is most often a result of longstanding hypertension, no evidence was found indicating that a recent coronary ischemia had occurred. Thus, it is unlikely that the pilot's cardiac disease caused any symptoms that contributed to the accident. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the glider pilot attempted an off-airport landing and failed to maintain clearance from the power lines.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.