Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A and Ab Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2 mid-air collision near Brackettville, Texas, August 9, 2008
On August 9, 2008 at about 8:32 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A (N777UN) and Ab Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2 (N110RG), were involved in a mid-air collision near Brackettville, Texas. 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot of N777UN to exit the thermal upon losing visual contact with the other gliders, resulting in a midair collision.
The failure of the pilot of N777UN to exit the thermal upon losing visual contact with the other gliders, resulting in a midair collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2008 · about 8:32 pm local time
- Place
- Brackettville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A · all Ventus 2As on the register
- Registration
- N777UN · no longer on the register · serial 74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Ab Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2
- Registration
- N110RG · registry record · serial 2005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of N110RG, he was stabilized in a right 55 degree bank and had completed three turns when he heard a loud bang and immediately "lost control." The right wing dropped, the glider rolled to the right, and went inverted. The pilot of N110RG exited the glider and deployed his parachute. During the egress he was seriously injured. According to the pilot of N777UN, he had observed two gliders in the thermal in front of him and entered the thermal underneath them. After two turns in the thermal, he lost sight of the two gliders and collided, shortly thereafter, with N110RG. His left wing and winglet impacted the right wing of the other glider. The pilot of N777UN landed uneventfully. N110RG was destroyed and N777UN sustained minor damage. The damage to the right wing, sustained during the collision, rendered N110RG uncontrollable. Soaring procedure recommend that the pilot exit a thermal if visual contact is lost with another glider and cannot be established via a radio call.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Ab Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of N110RG, he was stabilized in a right 55 degree bank and had completed three turns when he heard a loud bang and immediately "lost control." The right wing dropped, the glider rolled to the right, and went inverted. The pilot of N110RG exited the glider and deployed his parachute. During the egress he was seriously injured. According to the pilot of N777UN, he had observed two gliders in the thermal in front of him and entered the thermal underneath them. After two turns in the thermal, he lost sight of the two gliders and collided, shortly thereafter, with N110RG. His left wing and winglet impacted the right wing of the other glider. The pilot of N777UN landed uneventfully. N110RG was destroyed and N777UN sustained minor damage. The damage to the right wing, sustained during the collision, rendered N110RG uncontrollable. Soaring procedure recommend that the pilot exit a thermal if visual contact is lost with another glider and cannot be established via a radio call.
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 for the Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,283 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,157 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvalde TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: UVA Uvalde TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm from UVA, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Ab Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 699 hours in all; 314 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 623 as pilot in command; 33 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,157 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvalde TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: UVA Uvalde TX
- Flight plan: none
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.
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.