Rolladen-Schneider Ohg LS3-A accident near Navasota, Texas, September 3, 2012
On September 3, 2012 at about 9:22 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider Ohg LS3-A (glider), registered N27UP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Navasota, Texas (Soaring Club Of Houston Glider 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for landing area conditions during an off-airport landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2012 · about 9:22 pm local time
- Place
- Navasota, Texas · Soaring Club Of Houston Glider · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider Ohg LS3-A · all LS3-As on the register
- Registration
- N27UP · no longer on the register · serial 3280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider pilot reported that he was about 5 miles from his destination airport and had enough altitude to make the field, but encountered sink and was unable to find additional lift. The pilot decided to conduct an off-field landing in a large open grass field. During the landing, the right wing tip hit the tall grass, which resulted in a ground loop when the glider was still several feet above ground. The nose yawed to the right and the glider impacted the terrain nose first. The wings, fuselage, and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the accident could have been avoided if he had focused more on his choice of a landing spot and that he should have avoided landing in a field with tall grass. However, the pilot was likely unable to recognize the height of the grass in the field until the glider was low to the ground, and he selected the best possible landing site given what he knew at the time of the loss of lift.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 430 hours in all; 368 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 404 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 26, 2012
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 87TA Waller TX
- Destination: 87TA Waller TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KCLL, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN12CA608.