# Accident 19980923034519A: Amtr PW5GLIDER, Waller, TX, September 23, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 23, 1998, 15:19 local time - Place: Waller, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.0503° N, 95.9198° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0503&lon=-95.9198&mi=10 - Aircraft: N110WN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N110WN-2000-11-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Nicks Oran W PW-5 GLIDER (registry code 056058Y, https://openairdocs.org/model/nicks-oran-w-pw-5-glider) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR PW5GLIDER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 3,262 total, 15 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA406](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA406) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980923034519A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1998, APPROXIMATEL 1530 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL NICKS PW-5 GLIDER, N110WN, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED SHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING LANDING NEAR WALLER, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND THE OWNER/BUILDER OF THE GLIDER, WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED COULTER FIELD AIRPORT IN BRYAN, TEXAS, WITH AN INTENDD DESTINATION OF WALLER, TX. ACCORDING TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES, THE PILOT RADIOED TO THE DRIVER OF HIS CHASE VEHICLE THAT DUE TO A LACK OF THERMAL LIFT, HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LAND SHORT OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. A WITNESS, WHO WAS SEATED ON HIS FRONT PORCH, REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE GLIDER COMING FROM THE NORTHEAST TOWARDS HIS HOUSE, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 30 TO 35 FEET AGL. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE GLIDER MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST, PROBABLY TO AVOID THE HOUSE, AND ITS LEFT WINGTIP HIT THE GROUND. THE NOSE OF THE GLIDER THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND THE GLIDER SLID 15 TO 20 FEET AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE, THE LEFT WING AND THE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.(.4) THE AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING IN A PASTURE. DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT/BUILDER HAD RADIOED TO THE DRIVER OF HIS GROUND CHASE VEHICLE THAT HE WAS TOO LOW TO CONTINUE TOWARDS HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE PILOT FURTHER RADIOED THAT HE HAD SELECTED A PASTURE AND WAS `LANDING OUT.' A WITNESS, WHO WAS SEATED ON THE FRONT PORCH OF HIS HOUSE, OBSERVED THE GLIDER COMING TOWARDS HIM. THE GLIDER MADE A `SHARP' LEFT TURN AWAY FROM THE HOUSE, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE LEFT WING SEPARATED. THE NOSE OF THE GLIDER THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND `HARD AT A FAIRLY STEEP ANGLE,' AND THE GLIDER SLID TO A STOP. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN GLIDERS OF 1,661 HOURS, OF WHICH 15 HOURS WERE IN THE ACCIDENT GLIDER. (-23) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1998 APPROXIMATELY 1530 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME AN AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL ORAN NICKS PW-5 GLIDER, N110WN WAS DEMOLISHED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING LANDING NEAR WALLER TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND OWNER/BUILDER OF THE GLIDER WAS FATALLY INJURED . NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED COULTER FIELD AIRPORT IN BRYAN, TEXAS WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF THE SOARING CLUB OF HOUSTON. THE PILOT RADIOED TO THE DRIVER OF HIS CHASE VEHICLE THAT DUE TO LACK OF THERMAL LIFT, HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LAND SHORT OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. A WITNESS WHO WAS SEATED ON HIS FRONT PORCH, REPOORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE GLIDER COMING FROM THE NORTHEAST TOWARDS HIS HOUSE, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 30 TO 35 FEET AGL. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE GLIDER MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST, PROBABLY TO AVOID THE HOUSE, AND IT'S LEFT WINGTIP HIT THE GROUND. THE NOSE THEN STRUCK THE GROUND FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW98LA406](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA406), Sep 23, 1998: Nicks PW-5 (N110WN), Waller, TX, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.