Hall GLASAIR III accident near Gilmer, Texas, November 22, 2000
On November 22, 2000 at about 10:36 pm local time, a Hall GLASAIR III, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N462SH, was destroyed in an accident near Gilmer, Texas (Gilmer-Upshur County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's performance of aerobatic maneuvers at a low altitude and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of aerobatic experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2000 · about 10:36 pm local time
- Place
- Gilmer, Texas · Gilmer-Upshur County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hall GLASAIR III GLASAIR II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N462SH · registry record · serial 3320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the experimental amateur built airplane make three high speed passes over the runway at about 100 feet agl. On the third pass, over the north end of the runway, the airplane nosed up to an approximate 20-degree climb. At approximately 1,000-1,500 feet agl, the airplane began a right barrel roll maneuver. After it rolled to the inverted position, there was a "noticeable hesitation," and the airplane had "dropped to a nose low attitude." The airplane disappeared behind trees in a 40 to 60-degree left bank and 45-degree nose low attitude. After disappearing behind the trees, the sound of the airplane's engine "stopped abruptly." The airplane impacted the ground in a residential back yard. No anomalies with the airplane or engine were noted, and the pilot/builder had not logged any formal aerobatic training.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,167 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 1,630 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 103 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 22, 2000; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4F4 at 10:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 86°F (30°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TYR, 30 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.