Schleicher ASW-19 N37PL

Summary

On 2 April 2025 at about 18:30 local time, a Schleicher ASW-19 registered N37PL, operated by Tampa Bay Soaring Society Inc, was involved in an accident near Zephyrhills, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 April 2025 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Zephyrhills, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Zephyrhills Muni (ZPH)

Coordinates

28.2565, -82.1499

Aircraft

Schleicher ASW-19

Registration

N37PL

Category

Glider

Year built

1978

Operator

Tampa Bay Soaring Society Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Zephyerhills → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA181

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s inadequate inflight planning and an encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, resulting in an off-airport landing and collision with a fence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the glider took off under aerotow for a flight in the local soaring area. The pilot released from the tow airplane at an altitude of 2,500 ft and 3 miles downwind of the airport. While soaring, the pilot found a thermal and regained some lost altitude to 2,300 feet msl. The pilot then reported making several 360° turns in the thermal to gain additional altitude, but he then noticed that he was now 8 miles from the airport and decided to turn back toward the airport. While soaring back to the airport, the pilot was unable to find any thermals to regain altitude. When the pilot was 3 miles from the airport at an altitude of 1,000 ft, he determined he did not have sufficient altitude to make it back to the airport and began to look for an off-airport landing area. The pilot found a pasture that he believed would be a suitable landing site. During the approach, the pilot noticed there was a wire fence across the pasture. As he approached the fence during landing, he retracted the spoilers and pitched the nose up in an attempt to clear the fence. Subsequently, the stall warning activated, and the glider impacted a fence pole which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. He further stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had requested that he be towed and released upwind of the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.