Schleicher ASW-19 accident near Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, November 3, 2001
On November 3, 2001 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW-19 (glider), registered N19KH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania (Jersey Shore Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's in-flight encounter with weather, which led to a forced landing to unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2001 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania · Jersey Shore Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW-19 · all ASW-19s on the register
- Registration
- N19KH · registry record · serial 19125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning from a cross country glider flight when the glider encountered a downdraft. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and could not reach the nearest airport. The pilot elected to land on a "canopy" of trees beneath the glider. The glider collided with the tree tops, and fell to the ground. The pilot reported that an annual inspection of the glider was completed on the day of the accident, and that there were no mechanical deficiencies. The weather reported at an airport about 20 miles east of the accident site, included clear skies with the wind from 270 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots.
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: 209 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 135 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,631 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2001; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 79N Unionville PA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from IPT, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N19KH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 IAD02LA009.