Schleicher ASW-15 accident near Navasota, Texas, June 22, 2013
On June 22, 2013 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW-15 (glider), registered N77VT, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Navasota, Texas (Navasota Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent aerodynamic stall during the approach for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2013 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Navasota, Texas · Navasota Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-15 · all ASW-15s on the register
- Registration
- N77VT · registry record · serial 15032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the glider lost lift during the final leg of a cross-country flight. He chose to divert to a nearby airport to land; however, he subsequently realized that he would not be able to reach that airport, so he attempted to land in an open field. The pilot stated that, when he extended the spoilers at an indicated airspeed of 45 mph on the base leg of the approach, the glider inadvertently stalled and impacted terrain. He reported no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot deployed the spoilers with insufficient airspeed during the approach for landing, which resulted in the aerodynamic stall.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 26, 2012
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,494 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 2013
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 89TA Waller TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 89TA Waller TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from CLL, 18 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.
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.