Schleicher ASW-20 accident near Highland, Illinois, June 16, 2001
On June 16, 2001 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW-20 (glider), registered N76SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Highland, Illinois (Highland - Winet 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 pilot's failure to extend the spoilers during landing approach, which resulted in a touchdown at a higher than normal airspeed. An additional cause was the intentional ground loop/swerve maneuver performed by the pilot to avoid overrunning the end of the runway. Factors to the accident were the landing checklist not being performed by the pilot and the excessive airspeed encountered during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2001 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Highland, Illinois · Highland - Winet Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-20 · all ASW-20s on the register
- Registration
- N76SP · no longer on the register · serial 20256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider sustained substantial damage during landing. According to the pilot, he unintentionally performed a no-spoiler approach to runway 18, and crossed the threshold at a higher than normal airspeed. The pilot reported that he performed an intentional ground loop to avoid overrunning the end of the runway, causing substantial damage to the glider. According to the pilot's written statement, he believes that he may have mistaken the landing gear lever for the spoiler deploying lever. The pilot reported that, "I firmly believe if I would have used a landing check list this situation probably would not have happened."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,557 hours in all; 445 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,379.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2000; 56.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H07 Highland IL at 9:15 pm
- Destination: Highland IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from BLV, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.