Schleicher ASW15B accident near Dansville, New York, September 10, 1994
On September 10, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Schleicher ASW15B (glider), registered N827, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dansville, New York (Dansville 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ALLOWED THE SPEED OF THE GLIDER TO GET TO LOW ON FINAL APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN A RAPID DESCENT, SUBSEQUENT UNDERSHOOT OF THE RUNWAY, AND IMPACT WITH A TREE. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS A DOWNDRAFT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dansville, New York · Dansville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASW15B · all ASW15Bs on the register
- Registration
- N827 · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXTEND THE DOWNWIND LEG DUE TO POWERED AIRCRAFT TRAFFIC AHEAD ON THE APPROACH. THE POWERED AIRCRAFT SAW THE GLIDER AND DISCONTINUED THE APPROACH, ALLOWING THE GLIDER A CLEAR PATH TO THE RUNWAY. THE GLIDER PILOT ELECTED NOT TO EMPLOY SPOILERS BECAUSE THE DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY WAS TOO FAR. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT 'WITHIN SECONDS MY ALTITUDE AND SPEED WAS REDUCED.' HE REACTED BY PUSHING FORWARD ON THE CONTROL STICK, TO GAIN SPEED, BUT THE GLIDER DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT WROTE HE 'WAS BEING FORCED DOWN FROM ABOVE AT A RAPID RATE' CAUSING HIM TO BELIEVE HE WAS IN A 'VIOLENT' DOWN DRAFT. THE GLIDER STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING ABOUT 400 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 1,187 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 948 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1994; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,655 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°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.