Schleicher ASW19b accident near Henderson, North Carolina, April 10, 2005
On April 10, 2005 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW19b (glider), registered N19HG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Henderson, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of the landing area which resulted in overshooting the touchdown point. A factor was the in-flight encounter with weather (No thermal lift).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2005 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW19b · all ASW19bs on the register
- Registration
- N19HG · registry record · serial ASW19B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while out soaring on a recreational flight, the glider began to lose lift at approximately 2,500 feet. As the pilot attempted to regain thermal lift, the glider developed a high sink rate. As the glider continued to descend the pilot was unable to regain lift, and made plans to make a forced landing. During the forced landing in a grass field, he overshot the touchdown point and collided with a tree. No flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilot. Post examination of the glider revealed the outboard section of the left wing was broken off of the wing assembly. The weather at the nearest reporting facility Raleigh Durham, North Carolina reported at 14:53: 10-statue miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 22 Celsius, dewpoint 4 Celsius, barometric setting 30.05, winds 09 degrees at 7 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 617 hours in all; 128 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 19, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 647 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 2004; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 805 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Aero Engines; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ball Field NC at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Henderson NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 009° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from RDU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.