Schempp-Hirth VENTUS A accident near Rocksprings, Texas, August 7, 1995
On August 7, 1995 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS A (glider), registered N307L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rocksprings, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DEBONDING OF MYLAR TAPE THAT WAS USED TO SEAL A GAP ON THE ELEVATOR, WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE ELEVATOR CONTROL AUTHORITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1995 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rocksprings, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth VENTUS A · all VENTUS As on the register
- Registration
- N307L · no longer on the register · serial 38
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO GLIDE SPEED, HE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH ELEVATOR CONTROL. HE SAID HE HAD TO APPLY FULL ELEVATOR BEFORE THE GLIDER WOULD RESPOND TO THE CONTROL INPUTS AND THAT IT RESPONDED VERY SLOWLY.' THE PILOT WAS GOING TO LAND ON A RANCH ROAD; HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE CONTROL PROBLEM, HE DETERMINED IT WAS SAFER TO BAIL OUT. THE GLIDER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE, HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND CANOPY. EXAMINATION OF THE GLIDER REVEALED THAT MYLAR TAPE, WHICH WAS USED AS A GAP SEAL FOR THE ELEVATOR, HAD PARTIALLY SEPARATED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,322 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,425 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,106 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvlade TX at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 FTW95LA335.