Stemme GMBH & CO S10-VT accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, May 15, 2024
On May 15, 2024 at about 8:22 pm local time, a 2004 Stemme GMBH & CO S10-VT (glider), registered N995J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Moriarty, New Mexico (Moriarty Municipal 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 unstabilized approach, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2024 · about 8:22 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarty, New Mexico · Moriarty Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stemme GMBH & CO S10-VT, built 2004 · all S10-VTs on the register
- Registration
- N995J · registry record · serial 11-083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the powered glider reported that, while maneuvering for landing for runway 26, he was distracted by a helicopter and the approach of another glider. He elected to land on runway 17, and while on final approach, the powered glider was high and landed over 1000 ft down the runway. The powered glider overran the departure end of the runway and impacted terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 6,831 hours in all; 1,001 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,879 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 21, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,137.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 2024; 0.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,874 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 914F2/S1 (piston); 228 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,201 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from KABQ, 30 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KABQ 152152Z 34010KT 10SM FEW080 FEW100 BKN210 26/M01 A2986 RMK AO2 PK WND 24027/2053 RAB2059E09 SLP039 VIRGA DSNT W P0000 T02561006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR24LA153.