Schweizer SGS 1-34 accident near Decatur, Texas, September 2, 2002
On September 2, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 1-34 (glider), registered N2691H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Texas (Decatur Muni 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 failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall. A contributing factor was lack of total experience in the make and model of the accident aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Texas · Decatur Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 1-34 · all SGS 1-34s on the register
- Registration
- N2691H · registry record · serial 91
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the glider turned final for the runway, a witness observed the glider align with the taxiway. The witness reported that the glider "appeared to stall," then nosed-down and impact the ground short of the taxiway. The pilot had a total of 18.4 hours in gliders, and received a glider rating about 11 months prior to the accident. This was the pilot's second flight in the medium performance glider. The first flight was accomplished earlier in the day of the accident. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2001; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 840 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8F7 Decatur TX at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from DTO, 20 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW02FA243.