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CEN20CA218

2020-06-04 · Alvarado, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 6XS2

Current FAA registration · N24HC

Make / Model
GLASFLUGEL MOSQUITO
Year of manufacture
1977 · 43 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19790404
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A22E58

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's decision to divert to the private airport and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control while landing on a turf runway that contained tall grass.

Factual narrative

The glider pilot reported that due to a weakening of soaring updraft conditions he diverted from his original destination to another airport that he had landed at on previous occasions. While on short final, the pilot noticed the turf runway had not been mowed recently. During the landing rollout, due to long grass blocking his field of view, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the glider impacted a fence to the left of the runway, damaging the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The diversion airport was a private airport that required prior approval for landing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-(general)-(general)-Effect on equipment
  • C Environmental issues-Operating environment-Airport facilities/design-Runway/landing area condition-Contributed to outcome - C
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_CEN20CA218.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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