Amateur-built HP-14 accident near Aiken, South Carolina, September 2, 1985
On September 2, 1985 at about 6:15 pm local time, a amateur-built HP-14 (glider), registered N5DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aiken, South Carolina (Aiken Municipal airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1985 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Aiken, South Carolina · Aiken Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HP-14
- Registration
- N5DB · registry record · serial 14-26
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPORTED THAT SAILPLANE WAS POSITIONED FOR A TOW IN TALL GRASS BESIDE THE RWY. HE SAID THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF THE LEFT WING WAS SLOWED BY THE TALL GRASS ALLOWING THE RIGHT WING TO ACCELERATE. THE SAILPLANE YAWED LEFT AND ROLLED LEFT UNTIL 90 DEGREES TO FLIGHT PATH. TOW ROPE DETACHED FROM TOW RING ON GLIDER. GLIDER PITCHED DOWN AND CONTACTED GROUND. FUSELAGE WAS BENT AS GLIDER SLID SIDEWAYS TO A STOP.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,995 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 4,989 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1985
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from AGS, 20 miles away
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.