- Date
- February 1, 2024, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Waller, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Defining events
- Maneuvering: Midair collisionManeuvering: Midair collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 193757
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 failure of both pilots to see and avoid one another while maneuvering, which resulted in a mid-air collision.
Findings · 4
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.
N984TP · Pipistrel Taurus
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.
N984TP · Pipistrel Taurus
N27GG · Schempp Hirth Discus 2CT
Analysis
The pilot of a Pipistrel Taurus glider reported that, while turning right and climbing in a thermal, he saw another glider at his 10 o’clock position about the same altitude. He quickly turned right to avoid the other glider, but the Pipistrel’s left wing impacted the other glider’s right wing, resulting in substantial damage to both. The pilot flying the other glider, a Schempp-Hirth Discus-2CT, reported that he was in a right turn when he heard the impact. He stated that the Pipistrel was below him and he did not see it. Both pilots landed their gliders without further incident. Both glider pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gliders that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N984TP
- Reported as
- Pipistrel Taurus (ELECTRO G2)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 167TET
- Built
- 2018
- Airframe hours
- 115
- Engine
- Pipistrel Electro 40/30, 40 horsepower, electric
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Texas Soaring Bats LLC
- Registered owner
- Texas Soaring Bats LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 20, 2023
- Departed
- 89TA · Waller, TX
- Airport
- 89TA · Soaring Club of Houston Gliderport
- Equipment
- Airframe parachute, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system
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.
- Registration
- N27GG
- Reported as
- Schempp Hirth Discus 2CT (NO SERIES EXISTS)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 23
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 1,448
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 24, 2023
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Data recorder
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N984TP
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 24,000 total · 82 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N27GG
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Last flight review
- February 26, 2023
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,708 total · 906 in this make and model · 1,696 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KDWH, 22 nm away
- METAR
- KDWH 012053Z 18007KT 140V210 10SM FEW041 23/12 A3005
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.
Other investigations on N984TP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.