Nicks PW-5 N110WN

Summary

On 23 September 1998 at about 20:19 local time, a Nicks PW-5 registered N110WN was involved in an accident near Waller, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 1998 at 20:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Waller, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.0503, -95.9198

Aircraft

Nicks PW-5

Registration

N110WN

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bryan → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA406

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The amateur-built experimental glider collided with terrain during the final approach to landing in a pasture. During the cross-country flight, the pilot/builder had radioed to the driver of his ground chase vehicle that he was too low to continue towards his intended destination. The pilot further radioed that he had selected a pasture and was 'landing out.' A witness, who was seated on the front porch of his house, observed the glider coming toward him. The glider made a 'sharp' left turn away from the house, the left wing tip struck the ground, and the left wing separated. The nose of the glider then impacted the ground 'hard at a fairly steep angle,' and the glider slid to a stop. The pilot had a total flight time in gliders of 1,661 hours, of which 15 hours were in the accident glider.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.