Glasflugel MOSQUITO accident near Alvarado, Texas, June 4, 2020
On June 4, 2020 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 1977 Glasflugel MOSQUITO (glider), registered N24HC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Alvarado, Texas (Luscombe Acres 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to divert to the private airport and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control while landing on a turf runway that contained tall grass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2020 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Alvarado, Texas · Luscombe Acres · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Glasflugel MOSQUITO Undesignat, built 1977 · all MOSQUITOs on the register
- Registration
- N24HC · registry record · serial 54
- 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 due to a weakening of soaring updraft conditions he diverted from his original destination to another airport that he had landed at on previous occasions. While on short final, the pilot noticed the turf runway had not been mowed recently. During the landing rollout, due to long grass blocking his field of view, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the glider impacted a fence to the left of the runway, damaging the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The diversion airport was a private airport that required prior approval for landing.
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
- Loss of lift during enroute
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area condition › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 457 hours in all; 211 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 425 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 27, 2019
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: TA11 Midlothian TX at 6:40 pm
- Destination: TA11 Midlothian TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 1,650 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from KCPT, 12 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 CEN20CA218.