History of Flight
On August 23, 2015, about 1337 central daylight time, a Schleicher ASW-20 glider, registration N878S, impacted powerlines and terrain near Hempstead, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The glider sustained substantial fuselage damage. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Soaring Club of Houston Gliderport near Waller, Texas, about 1254.
The tow pilot reported no issues with the glider before departure, and the aero-tow was uneventful, with release at 2,000 feet above ground level. The glider was found upright about 1/4 mile from the intersection of Farm to Market Road 1488 and Laneview Road, following a detected power interruption. A powerline was damaged. The pilot was transported to a hospital and subsequently died from his injuries.
Personnel Information
The 67-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a glider rating issued on June 9, 2015. He also held commercial pilot certificates for single-engine and multiengine airplane land and instrument airplane ratings. A Third Class Medical Certificate was issued on March 10, 2011, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses. The pilot reported 505 hours of total flight time and 5 hours in the six months prior.
Aircraft Information
N878S was a 1979 Schleicher ASW-20 single-seat glider, serial number 20268, constructed of glass-reinforced plastic. It featured trailing edge flaps that interconnect with ailerons and Schempp-Hirth airbrakes on the upper wing surface. Wingspan was 15 meters (49 ft 3 in). Empty weight was 573 lbs, maximum gross weight 1,000 lbs. Maximum speed was 170 mph, maximum glide ratio 43:1. The glider was previously registered as N44TM under an experimental racing airworthiness certificate. The most recent annual inspection was completed on March 14, 2015, at 1,764.96 total hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1253, weather at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport near Houston, Texas: wind variable at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 4,200 and 5,500 feet, temperature 33°C, dew point 23°C, altimeter 30.05 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination by an FAA inspector revealed aftward crushing of the forward fuselage, a linear tear on the left wing leading edge at midspan, and inward crushing of the left wing's forward inboard section, with fuselage deformation nearby. No preimpact anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operations.
Flight Recorders and Data
A Samsung Galaxy S4 cell phone and an unidentified GPS device were recovered. The GPS contained an internal micro SD card with flight logs in .igc format. Data showed the flight lasted about 43 minutes, from 1254 to 1337. Maximum GPS altitude of 3,819 feet was recorded at 1313, after which the glider descended without gaining more than about 300 feet. Circular patterns consistent with thermaling were observed. The cell phone had no record of a call during the flight, but a call was recorded the night before. A family member reported the pilot made a call during the flight.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing identified ketamine (0.89 mg/ml) and its metabolite norketamine in blood; these were also present in urine. The ketamine was administered by emergency medical services for intubation in the field. The pilot had hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease, including left ventricular hypertrophy, 70% stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending artery, and 20% stenosis of the right coronary artery, but no evidence of recent ischemia. No other medical conditions were reported.
The NTSB Chief Medical Officer reviewed all relevant records.