# Fatal NTSB investigations: Glider tow event NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports. ## Latest cases - [NTSB CEN26LA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA231.md): Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly · Whitewater, WI · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Jun 23, 2026 · N3849A · No damage > On June 22, 2026, about 1915 central daylight time, a Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly, N3849A, was involved in an accident near Whitewater, Wisconsin. The pilot of the Dragonfly was not injured. The pilot of the hang glider in tow was fatally injured. The tow… - [NTSB ERA26FA214](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA214.md): Piper PA-25-235 · Saratoga Springs, NY · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · May 26, 2026 · N8656L · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage > On May 26, 2026, about 1347 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235 airplane, N8656L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Saratoga Springs, New York. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code… - [NTSB CEN25FA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA248.md): Piper PA-25 · Hot Springs, SD · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Jul 12, 2025 · N8186K · Substantial damage > On July 12, 2025, about 1322 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-25, N8186K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hot Springs, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal… - [NTSB GAA23WA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA23WA182.md): Robin DR400 · Lienz, Austria · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 5 · Foreign · Jun 25, 2023 · D-EWLA · Substantial damage - [NTSB ERA18FA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA128.md): S.Z.D. SZD 48 Jantar STD 2 · LaBelle, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 14, 2018 · N456RM · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. - [NTSB WPR14FA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA181.md): Aero Tek Zuni · Aguila, AZ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 3, 2014 · N22DA · Substantial damage > The pilot's inability to maintain control of the glider after the tow cable separated prematurely due to an incomplete engagement of the cable in the control tow release system due to a missing spring. - [NTSB WPR13FA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA300.md): Allstar PZL Glider SZD-54-2 Perkoz · Jacumba, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 29, 2013 · N684SD · Substantial damage > The premature release of the towline from the glider and the glider’s subsequent right banking turn at low altitude for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident airframe examination did not reveal any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or… - [NTSB CEN12LA605](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA605.md): Burkhart Grob G 103 Twin II · El Paso, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 1, 2012 · N5489X · Substantial damage > The pilot‘s failure to maintain glider control while attempting to take off using a ground winch, which resulted in an inadvertent stall low to the ground. Contributing to the accident was the ground winch, which was unable to produce enough speed for a… - [NTSB CEN12FA378](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA378.md): Iar Brasov IS-28B2 · Wallis, TX · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 17, 2012 · N6388V · Substantial damage > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an emergency situation, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s acute coronary event, which resulted from his severe… - [NTSB WPR12FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA010.md): DG Flugzeugbau DG 1000S · Cle Elum, WA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 13, 2011 · N7760A · Substantial damage > The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and control after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. - [NTSB CEN11LA585](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA585.md): Aero Commander Callair A-9B · Marshall, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 21, 2011 · N7638V · Substantial damage > The towplane pilot's loss of control during an aerotow operation due to the glider pilot's inability to maintain a proper position behind the towplane while encountering turbulence on initial climb. - [NTSB ERA11FA413](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA413.md): Moyes Dragonfly · Ridgely, MD · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 23, 2011 · N402HA · Substantial damage > An in-flight loss of control for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations. - [NTSB ERA11FA401](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA401.md): Slingsby Capstan Type 49B · Hollywood, MD · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 15, 2011 · N7475 · Substantial damage > The glider pilot’s improper response to the “check spoilers” signal from the tow pilot. Contributing to the accident was the glider pilot’s failure to confirm that the spoilers were closed and locked before takeoff, and the glider copilot’s improper crew… - [NTSB ERA11LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA234.md): Let L 33 Solo · New Castle, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 10, 2011 · N286BA · Substantial damage > Pilot incapacitation shortly after takeoff for unknown reasons. - [NTSB CEN10FA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA115.md): Piper PA-25-235 · Boulder, CO · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 6, 2010 · N8718L · 3 aircraft · Substantial damage > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other resulting in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the lack of perceived visual relative motion of the Piper and the Cirrus to the pilot of each airplane, the terrain background, and the… - [NTSB WPR09LA449](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA449.md): Schweizer SGS 1-34 · Lake Elsinore, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 12, 2009 · N7656 · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider after the tow line released during the initial climb. - [NTSB CEN09LA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA353.md): Burkhart Grob G103C Twin III Acro · Gregory, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 14, 2009 · N103MS · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the turn to return for landing, which resulted an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the ground winch tow cable shortly after takeoff. ## The whole list in SQL Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS: ```sql SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1 WHERE c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '510' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC ``` This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/510/sequence?fatal=1 --- 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.