Laister LP-49 accident near Warrensburg, Missouri, December 9, 1990
On December 9, 1990 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Laister LP-49 (glider), registered N26LP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warrensburg, Missouri (Skyhaven airport). It was an instructional 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
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE AIRCRAFT, AND TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1990 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Warrensburg, Missouri · Skyhaven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Laister LP-49
- Registration
- N26LP · registry record · serial 26
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STUDENT PILOT ON OBSERVED SOLO IN GLIDER HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF TOW BEFORE BECOMING AIRBORNE, AND RELEASED TOWLINE. GLIDER DEPARTED RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY AND HIT ANOTHER GLIDER PARKED ALONGSIDE THE RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from GVW, 33 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.