Schweizer 1-26E accident near Wallkill, New York, May 28, 1990
On May 28, 1990 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 1-26E (glider), registered N126DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wallkill, New York (Randall airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILUE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S DIVERSION OF ATTENTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1990 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wallkill, New York · Randall · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 1-26E
- Registration
- N126DB · registry record · serial 516
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT FLYING A GLIDER WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A SPIN WHILE TURNING BASE LEG FOR LANDING. RECOVERY WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND. WHEN INTERVIEWED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT SAID 'I HAD TOO MANY THINGS ON MY MIND...'
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: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 677 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 1989; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 06N Middletown NY at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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 NYC90LA115.