Centrair PEGASE 101A accident near Jacksonville, Florida, June 2, 1985
On June 2, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Centrair PEGASE 101A (glider), registered N3TE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Hurlong airport). 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Hurlong · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Centrair PEGASE 101A PEGASE 101
- Registration
- N3TE · registry record · serial 198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT ON INITIAL CLIMB, REALIZING HE HAD NO ELEVATOR CONTROL, RELEASED THE TOW ROPE THAN DEPLOYED THE SPOILERS AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ELVATOR CABLE WAS NOT CONNECTED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,003 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from JAX, 15 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.