Schleicher ASW-24E accident near El Paso, Texas, December 16, 2001
On December 16, 2001 at about 10:16 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW-24E (glider), registered N134EK, was destroyed in an accident near El Paso, Texas (West Texas Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 minimum airspeed for flight, resulting in an inadvertent stall while maneuvering. A contributing factor was the failure of the tow rope.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2001 · about 10:16 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · West Texas Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-24E · all ASW-24Es on the register
- Registration
- N134EK · no longer on the register · serial 24833
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the aerial tow takeoff of the glider, between 50 and 100 feet agl, the tow rope broke. Witnesses observed the glider turn right, then make a left turn back towards the runway. The glider entered a steep bank to the left of approximately 90 degrees, at which time the glider stalled, impacted the ground with its left wing and nose, cartwheeled, and came to rest in an upright position. A tailwind condition existed at the time of the takeoff.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 275 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T27 El Paso TX at 10:16 pm
- Destination: T27 El Paso TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 7,505 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 FTW02LA057.