Schleicher ASW19-B accident near Troy, Pennsylvania, August 28, 1997
On August 28, 1997 at about 7:38 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW19-B (glider), registered N19LK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Pilot failed to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1997 · about 7:38 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW19-B · all ASW19-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N19LK · registry record · serial 19353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The soaring competition began after 3 days of delay due to weather,. The pilot headed southwest towards the first turn point 26 miles away. Once there, he turned east towards the second turn point. About half way to the second turn point, the pilot started losing 'lifting action'. After searching for about a mile and getting low in altitude, the pilot attempted an off field landing. With the wind from the north, the pilot chose a field aligned with the wind. He entered the pattern for an off field landing, during the turn to base leg, he noticed a creek running diagonally across his chosen field and that the up slope to the field was steeper than he expected. With these distractions, the pilot lost track of his airspeed and the glider stalled during the turn from base leg to final. The glider impacted the terrain on the left wing and nose, bounced, and came to rest in the creek in an upright attitude.
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: 183 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,095 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1997; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4NY8 Elmira NY at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.