Schweizer SGS 1-26E accident near Littlefield, Texas, July 16, 1994
On July 16, 1994 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 1-26E (glider), registered N33915, was substantially damaged in an accident near Littlefield, Texas (Littlefield Municipal). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DOWNWIND TURN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1994 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Littlefield, Texas · Littlefield Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 1-26E · all SGS 1-26Es on the register
- Registration
- N33915 · registry record · serial 625
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAID THE PILOT COMPLETED A GLIDER COMPETITION LOW AND SLOW AT THE FINISH. THE PILOT TURNED LEFT ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG, FOLLOWED BY A STEEP LEFT TURN AND NOSE PITCH DOWN. IMPACT OCCURRED NOSE LOW STILL TURNING LEFT.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 279 hours in all; 15 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 248 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1994; 13 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LBB, 33 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.