# NTSB DFW05CA096: Glaser-Dirks DG 600, N787T, Kent, TX, March 25, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 25, 2005, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Kent, TX - Coordinates: 31.033332, -104.733329 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.0333&lon=-104.7333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Lubbock FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61209 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW05CA096 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61209/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW05CA096 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgement of distance and altitude during a cross-country soaring flight. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, maneuvering - weather condition - no thermal lift - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - precautionary landing - attempted, pilot in command - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - high vegetation ## Analysis The 3,460-hour commercial glider pilot reported that, while soaring, he encountered poor thermal conditions and the glider began to lose altitude. The pilot observed a field by a ranch house and elected to land there. As the pilot approached the field, he observed high power lines at the approach end and a fence and shed at the far end of the field. When the glider was approximately 300 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot decided that the field would be an unsuitable place to land and turned approximately 270 degrees and executed a precautionary landing in the "best part of a bad area." When the glider was two to three feet agl, the left wingtip impacted a cactus. The glider then pivoted approximately 70 degrees, slid, and the right wing then impacted another cactus. ## Factual narrative On March 25, 2005, approximately 1600 central daylight time, a Glaser-Dirks DG 600 glider, N787T, sustained substantial damage during an off-airport landing to a field near Kent, Texas. The commercial glider pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Marfa Municipal Airport (MRF), near Marfa, Texas, approximately 1300, for a round robin cross-country flight to Culberson County Airport (VHN), near Van Horn, Texas. According to the 3,460-hour pilot, while soaring east of VHN on his return flight to MRF, he encountered poor thermal conditions and the glider began to lose altitude. The pilot observed a field by a ranch house and elected to land there. As the pilot approached the field, he observed high power lines at the approach end and a fence and shed at the far end of the field. When the glider was approximately 300 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot decided that the field would be an unsuitable place to land and turned approximately 270 degrees and executed a precautionary landing in the "best part of a bad area." When the glider was two to three feet agl, the left wingtip impacted a cactus. The glider then pivoted approximately 70 degrees, slid, and the right wing then impacted another cactus. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated that he "could have turned back to Van Horn Airport upon encountering heavy sink." According to the pilot, structural damage included a crack to the right front section of the fuselage, a crack in the fuselage behind the wings, a crack in the fuselage at the vertical stabilizer attachment point, and damage to the leading edge of the left wing. The canopy was also broken, and the main landing gear was bent approximately 30 degrees to the left. At 1555, the automated weather observing system at MRF, located approximately 40 nautical miles south of the accident site, reported wind from 250 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 21 knots, 8 statute miles visibility, a clear sky, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 29.90 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N787T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N787T-2005-09-19), registration cancelled 2005-09-19, S/N 6-3, built 1988 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Glaser-Dirks DG 600 - Registry model: [Glaser-Dirks DG 600](https://openairdocs.org/model/glaser-dirks-dg-600) (registry code 3802555) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 6-3 - Airframe hours: 1560 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Albert Heath - Registered owner: Rokki Roberts - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2004 - Departed: MRF, Marfa, TX - Destination: MRF, Marfa, TX - Airport: VHN, Culberson County Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; last flight review April 27, 2003; seat: single; flight hours: 3,460 total, 3,460 in this make and model, 3,460 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 3 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: MRF ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050325004519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050325004519A), Mar 25, 2005: Glsdks DG600, Van Horn, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot encountered an area with 1,000 foot per minute sink rate during a glider flight from marfa to Van Horn, Texas, and could not get out of the area… 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. --- 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.