Rolladen-Schneider LS-4 accident near Jasper, Tennessee, March 15, 2010
On March 15, 2010 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LS-4 (glider), registered N465CB, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Jasper, Tennessee (Marion County 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 inadequate in-flight planning by the glider pilot to intentionally cross a ridge at low altitude, resulting in the in-flight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2010 · about 6:15 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Jasper, Tennessee · Marion County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rolladen-Schneider LS-4 · all LS-4s on the register
- Registration
- N465CB · registry record · serial 4339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider pilot stated that he intended on attempting the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) gold badge distance of 300 kilometers (186.42-mile) cross-country flight. He also stated that he felt pressure to fly first. The glider was towed aloft to 2,000 feet mean sea level, and released. He flew to the north side of a ridge and found lift, then flew south toward the airport in an effort to stay closer to it, intending on finding lift before proceeding. While approaching the ridge he encountered sink, and elected to cross the ridge. He crossed the ridge at approximately 300 feet above ground level and he could see the airport, but was unable to reach it. He maneuvered the glider for a landing into trees along the ridge. There was no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction with the glider. The pilot later stated he should have landed in fields in the valley.
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
- Loss of lift during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 576 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 428 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,041 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: APT Jasper TN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: APT Jasper TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from CHA, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on June 10, 2010. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of NTSB Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photo - Google Earth Plot Depicting Departure and Accident Site Locations. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N465CB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Rolladen-Schneider LS-4 56 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Rolladen-Schneider 117 aircraft on the register
- Marion County/Brown Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,198 since 1982 · 231 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,533 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA10CA176.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.