- Date
- August 6, 2014, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brenham, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N1615Glasflugel H 301 B Libelle
- Defining event
- Emergency descent: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 2, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140806012859A
- Case key
- 89817
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's attempt to maneuver away from power lines during a forced landing, which resulted in a collision with a tree and a fence.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was participating in a regional soaring contest when the weather conditions changed and he was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot prepared to land in a field, but once he approached the field he saw power lines. The pilot tried to avoid the power lines but the glider struck a tree and a fence, which resulted in damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the glider that contributed to the cause of the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot was participating in a regional soaring contest when the weather conditions changed and he was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot prepared to land in a field, but once he approached the field he saw power lines. The pilot tried to avoid the power lines but the glider struck a tree and a fence, which resulted in damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the glider that contributed to the cause of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1615
- Reported as
- Glasflugel H 301 B Libelle
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 65
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 1,618
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Travis LaGrone
- Registered owner
- Travis LaGrone
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 7, 2014
- Departed
- 89TA · Walter, TX
- Destination
- 89TA · Walter, TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Last flight review
- January 18, 2014
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 604 total · 460 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 921 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1615 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.