Schleicher ASW-20 accident near Pocahontas, Illinois, July 4, 2010
On July 4, 2010 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW-20 (glider), registered N82BK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Pocahontas, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a wings-level attitude prior to impacting high vegetation and terrain during the off-field landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2010 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pocahontas, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-20 · all ASW-20s on the register
- Registration
- N82BK · registry record · serial 20580
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider was towed to an altitude of 1,800 feet by an airplane and then released for a local flight. Radio communication with the glider was attempted about an hour later; however, it was not reestablished. Three airplanes went to look for the glider and located it about six hours after departure, in a field of high vegetation. The glider was equipped with a datalogger that indicated the glider was in a left turn about 250 feet north of the accident site prior to impact. The left wing's leading edge was torn and its tear contained vegetation. The landing gear was extended. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. While the pilot was taking medication for the treatment of diabetes, attention deficit disorder, and anxiety, the investigation could not determine what role, if any, the pilot’s medications or medical conditions may have played in the accident. The pilot did not have a current Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate, nor was one required for the glider operations in which he was engaged.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 866 hours in all
- Last flight review: June 28, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,784 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 2009
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: H07 Highland IL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: H07 Highland IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from BLV, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10LA368.