# Accident 20250913012779A: Jonker Sailplanes (Pty) Ltd JS3, New Castle, VA, September 13, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 13, 2025, 14:45 local time
- Place: New Castle, VA
- Airport: New Castle International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4835° N, 80.0998° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4835&lon=-80.0998&mi=10
- Aircraft: N68MF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N68MF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Jonker Sailplanes JS3 (registry code 05637Y4, https://openairdocs.org/model/jonker-sailplanes-js3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: M&D Flugze MD-TJ42 (registry code 45010, https://openairdocs.org/engine/m-d-flugze-md-tj42) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JONKER SAILPLANES (PTY) LTD JS3
- Reported engine: M&D FLUGZE MD-TJ42
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 420 total, 56 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA354) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250913012779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AUGUST 13, 2025, AT 13:52 LOCAL TIME AND IN VFR WEATHER, GLIDER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A JONKER JS3 RAPTURE WITH JET ENGINE, RETURNED FROM FLIGHT INTO RIGHT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND TO THE NORTH AT NEW CASTLE INTERNATIONAL GLIDER PORT VA85. DURING TURN TO BASE LEG, GLIDER PILOT LOST LIFT AND EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE SINK RATE.  PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN TO FINAL AND LINE UP WITH RUNWAY, AND TO AVOID COLLISION WITH TREE OR POSSIBLE STALL SPIN, PILOT LEVELED OUT TURN, PULLED AFT ON THE ELEVATOR CONTROL TO REDUCE AIRSPEED, AND SETTLED INTO 50 FOOT TREES.  GLIDER THEN SETTLED DOWN TEN FEET INTO THE TREES AND REMAINED SUSPENDED FORTY FEET ABOVE THE GROUND SURFACE JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.  POWERLINE TYPE BUCKET TRUCK RETRIEVED PILOT FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NO INJURIES, BUT RESCUE PERSONNEL PROTOCOL DICTATED EVACUATION TO EMERGENCY ROOM TO VERIFY PILOT’S CONDITION.

## 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 ERA25LA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA354), Sep 13, 2025: Jonker Sailplanes JS3 (N68MF), New Castle, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly configure the glider for landing, which resulted in an excessive descent rate during approach, and subsequent collision with trees short of the intended landing area.

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.

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