Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 accident near Cabins, West Virginia, February 19, 1990
On February 19, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 (glider), registered N511M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cabins, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO DETECT AND REMAIN CLEAR OF THE POWER LINE WHICH CROSSED THE FIELD IN WHICH HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cabins, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LS-6 · all LS-6s on the register
- Registration
- N511M · registry record · serial 6037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE GLIDER FLYING NORMALLY AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND APPEARED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH, THE GLIDER CONTACTED A POWER LINE WHICH SLICED THROUGH THE CANOPY, FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT. THE GLIDER THEN DESCENDED TO THE TERRAIN AND CONTACTED A BARBED WIRE FENCE PRIOR TO COMING TO REST. FLAPS WERE FOUND IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. OTHER PILOTS IN THE AREA REPORTED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE AND STRONG ROTOR ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Petersburg WV at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N511M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.