# NTSB ERA26LA346: Schleicher ASW-24, N94CG, Edinburg, NY, September 18, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: September 18, 2026, 14:26 local (18:26 UTC)
- Place: Edinburg, NY · Near 73 Sand Rd.
- Coordinates: 43.221306, -74.104987 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.2213&lon=-74.1050&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining events: [Enroute: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250); [Maneuvering: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203848
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA346
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203848/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA346

## Preliminary report (aircraft 1)

On September 18, 2026, about 1426 eastern daylight time, a Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2B glider, N61XC, and a Schleicher ASW-24 glider, N94CG, collided in flight near Edinburg, New York. The pilot of the Schempp-Hirth was fatally injured and the glider was destroyed. The pilot of the Schleicher was not injured and the glider was substantially damaged. The gliders were operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights. The pilot of the Schleicher glider stated that there were four gliders flying in a thermal. They were flying at an altitude of about 5,000 ft mean sea level when the Schempp-Hirth glider descended from above and its left wing contacted the nose section of his glider. He further stated that he retained controllability of the glider, so he circled and landed at Plateau Sky Ranch Airport (1F2), Edinburg, New York. During the turn to circle the airport, the pilot of the Schleicher glider saw the left wing of the Schempp-Hirth fracture off before the glider fell to the ground. The Schempp-Hirth glider came to rest in a wooded area about 5 miles north of 1F2. The right wing and empennage were located near the impact crater. The glider was fractured into several pieces. The left wing was not located. Flight track data recovered from recording devices onboard both gliders were downloaded for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Schleicher ASW-24, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=3801514), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-2B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=3802053), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N94CG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N94CG), registered now, S/N 24229 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHLEICHER ASW-24
- Registry model: [Schleicher ASW-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/schleicher-asw-24) (registry code 3801514) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 24229
- Year built: 1994
- Airframe hours: 394
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, September 6, 2026
- Departed: 5B2, Saratoga Springs, NY
- Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic primary flight display

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N61XC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61XC), registered now, S/N 31, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Schemp-Hirth Ventus (2B)
- Registry model: [Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-2B](https://openairdocs.org/model/schempp-hirth-ventus-2b) (registry code 3802053) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 31
- Year built: 1996
- Airframe hours: 2401
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, September 8, 2025
- Departed: 5B2, Saratoga Springs, NY
- Equipment: Data recorder

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observed at: SCH, 23 nm away
- METAR: METAR KSCH 181854Z 33007KT 10SM SCT050 SCT070 25/12 A3008

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.

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