- Date
- August 6, 2026, 15:38 local (20:38 UTC)
- Place
- Briggs, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N105WSPzl-Bielsko B1-PW-5
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260806011609A
- Case key
- 203557
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Preliminary report
What NTSB knew early in the investigation. It may change in the final report.
On August 6, 2026, about 1538 central daylight time, a PZL-Bielsko B1-PW-5 glider, N105WS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Briggs, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The glider was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The glider was departing on an auto-tow launch at the time of the accident. According to witness statements, the glider achieved level flight at about 1,000 ft before release from the towline. Following the release, the glider yawed to the right and entered a descending spiral, completing about 7 to 8 rotations before impacting terrain west of the glider port. Witnesses reported that the glider impacted the ground in a near-vertical attitude. The cockpit and forward fuselage were crushed aft during the impact. Both wings remained attached to the fuselage. The tail section and vertical stabilizer were partially separated, with the aft 4 ft of the tail boom folded over the aft fuselage. The glider was retained for further examination.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N105WS
- Reported as
- Pzl-Bielsko B1-PW-5
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 05.001.10
- Built
- 2002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- TX23 · Briggs, TN
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- TX23 · FLF Gliderport
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.
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- KBMQ, 16 nm away
- METAR
- KBMQ 062053Z AUTO 19008G15KT 10SM SCT070 36/17 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP152 T03560167 58024
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.