Glasflugel KESTREL N9919

Summary

On 5 March 2026 at about 18:59 local time, a Glasflugel KESTREL registered N9919 was involved in an accident near Little Switzerland, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 March 2026 at 18:59

Classification

Accident

Location

Little Switzerland, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Strawberry Ridge (N/A)

Coordinates

35.8533, -82.1134

Aircraft

Glasflugel KESTREL

Registration

N9919

Category

Glider

Year built

1969

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marion → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA26LA138

1 person had minor injuries.

A loss of thermal lift during a glider flight, which resulted in a collision with trees during a landing approach to a diversionary airport.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the glider had located five possible locations for off airport landings in advance of the glider flying event. On the accident flight, after receiving an aerotow, he maneuvered in the local area and found thermal lift that he used to climb further. After finding additional lift, the pilot flew across a ridge line toward a mountain where he hoped to find additional lift but was unsuccessful. He then turned around attempted to cross back over the ridge line where he knew there were several sites for an off-airport landing. The pilot realized that he would not be able to cross the ridge and then observed a private turf runway that he had not previously seen. During his landing approach the glider struck trees about 200 ft short of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to its fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.