Amateur-built PW-5 accident near Kerrick, Texas, July 19, 2025
On July 19, 2025 at about 6:36 pm local time, a 1997 amateur-built PW-5 (glider), registered N4426Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Kerrick, Texas (Perkins-Protho Cimarron Ranch 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2025 · about 6:36 pm local time
- Place
- Kerrick, Texas · Perkins-Protho Cimarron Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PW-5, built 1997
- Registration
- N4426Z · no longer on the register · serial 17.09.012
- 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 while flying his glider, he was unable to maintain enough altitude to return to the departure airport, so he performed a forced landing to an alternate airport with a closed runway. During the landing rollout, the right wing of the glider struck a metal fence post, The glider pivoted and the left wing struck the barbed wire. The pilot said that he did not see the fence post because of the vegetation covering it. Both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of lift during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Thermal lifting › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,400 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 12, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,034 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 89TA Waller TX at 6:02 pm
- Destination: 89TA Waller TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,500 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KIAH, 35 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KIAH 191853Z VRB06KT 10SM FEW048 SCT060 SCT090 BKN250 34/22 A3007
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 5, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.