Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-B and Pzl-Mielec 55-1 mid-air collision near Medina, Texas, July 31, 1991
On July 31, 1991 at about 8:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-B (JA241) and Pzl-Mielec 55-1 (OH825), were involved in a mid-air collision near Medina, Texas. 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE OTHER PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. A FACTOR WAS COLLISION INDUCED INCAPACITATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1991 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Medina, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-B · all DISCUS-Bs on the register
- Registration
- JA241 · no longer on the register · serial 240
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Pzl-Mielec 55-1
- Registration
- OH825 · no longer on the register · serial 551190002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Schempp-Hirth DISCUS-B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDERS COLLIDED AT APPROXIMATELY 6,000 FEET MSL WHILE CLIMBING IN A THERMAL AREA. IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, APPROXIMATELY 20 GLIDERS WERE MANEUVERING ATTEMPTING TO ATTAIN OPTIMUM LIFT. THIS RESULTED IN OVERLAPPING FLIGHT PATHS. THE PILOT OF JAPANESE REGISTRY JA2413 OBSERVED FINNISH REGISTRY OH825 AND TWO OTHER GLIDERS APPROACHING FROM HIS LEFT AND BELOW HIS ALTITUDE. HE LOST SIGHT OF THE GLIDERS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, OH825 STRUCK HIS AFT FUSELAGE ON THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEPARATION OF HIS EMPENNAGE. PAINT TRANSFER FROM THE RIGHT SIDE CANOPY TRACK AREA OF OH825 WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF JA2413 AT THE 7 O'CLOCK POSITION WHEN VIEWING JA2413 ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS FROM THE REAR. ADDITIONAL PAINT TRANSFERS WERE LOCATED AT THE 8 O'CLOCK, 9 O'CLOCK AND 10 O'CLOCK POSITIONS. OH825 CONTINUED GLIDING, BUT IN AN ERRATIC MANNER, EVENTUALLY COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. THE COCKPIT AREA OF OH825 SUSTAINED THE IN-FLIGHT COLLISION DAMAGE. THE PILOT OF JA2413 PARACHUTED TO SAFETY.
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 Pzl-Mielec 55-1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDERS COLLIDED AT APPROXIMATELY 6,000 FEET MSL WHILE CLIMBING IN A THERMAL AREA. IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, APPROXIMATELY 20 GLIDERS WERE MANEUVERING ATTEMPTING TO ATTAIN OPTIMUM LIFT. THIS RESULTED IN OVERLAPPING FLIGHT PATHS. THE PILOT OF JAPANESE REGISTRY JA2413 OBSERVED FINNISH REGISTRY OH825 AND TWO OTHER GLIDERS APPROACHING FROM HIS LEFT AND BELOW HIS ALTITUDE. HE LOST SIGHT OF THE GLIDERS AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER OH825 STRUCK HIS AFT FUSELAGE ON THE LEFT SIDE, RESULTING IN THE SEPARATION OF HIS EMPENNAGE. PAINT TRANSFERS FROM THE RIGHT SIDE CANOPY TRACK AREA OF OH825 WERE FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF JA2413 AT THE 7 O'CLOCK POSITION WHEN VIEWING JA2413 ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS FROM THE REAR. ADDITIONAL PAINT TRANSFERS WERE LOCATED AT THE 8 O'CLOCK, 9 O'CLOCK AND 10 O'CLOCK POSITIONS. OH825 CONTINUED GLIDING, BUT IN AN ERRATIC MANNER, EVENTUALLY COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. THE COCKPIT AREA OF OH825 SUSTAINED IN-FLIGHT COLLISION DAMAGE. THE PILOT OF JA2413 PARACHUTED TO SAFETY.
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 DISCUS-B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 650 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,155 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvalde TX at 6:11 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Pzl-Mielec 55-1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 202 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 5, 1990
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvalde TX at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.