Schempp-Hirth Ventus A accident near Midlothian, Texas, July 23, 2008
On July 23, 2008 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus A (glider), registered N47JD, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Midlothian, Texas (Texas Soaring Assoc Gliderport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control due to an incapacitating cardiac event. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's poor decision to fly with known serious medical issues.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2008 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Midlothian, Texas · Texas Soaring Assoc Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus A · all Ventus As on the register
- Registration
- N47JD · registry record · serial 29
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses to the accident said the glider appeared to be flying normally when it suddenly pitched up and down, then flew into the ground. This was substantiated by flight data from an onboard recorder. The pilot was fatally injured and portions of the glider's wings and empennage were seperated from the fuselage. The pilot was an 11 time national soaring champion with approximately 50 years experience flying gliders and airplanes. The pilot had very recent symptoms, recent test results, and autopsy findings consistent with serious coronary artery disease. He also had abnormal rhythms on ECG monitoring that would have likely increased his risk of sudden death. The pilot was in the process of scheduling a cardiac catheterization and possible angioplasty. He may have been impaired or incapacitated by pain, an abnormal heart rhythm, or sudden cardiac death. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with an abrupt physical inability to continue controlling the aircraft.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Health/Fitness › Predisposing condition › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Cardiovascular › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,633 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,009 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 1, 2008
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: TA11 Tsa Gliderport TX at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from KJWY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 DEN08LA127.