-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 PatzNdlwbC7jPHJXu5Xb2szGYIssYh1H32+y8Brl4c3AQNEJNGCzpFubHB2OiDti
 BJz4Yyix0uBE2c1KwAQcFA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000895345-04-000927.txt : 20041222
<SEC-HEADER>0000895345-04-000927.hdr.sgml : 20041222
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20041222160140
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000895345-04-000927
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20041220
FILED AS OF DATE:		20041222
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20041222

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HEXCEL CORP /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000717605
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ABRASIVE ASBESTOS & MISC NONMETALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS [3290]
		IRS NUMBER:				941109521
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO STAMFORD PLAZA
		STREET 2:		281 TRESSER BLVD., 16TH FLOOR
		CITY:			STAMFORD
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06901
		BUSINESS PHONE:		203-969-0666

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO STAMFORD PLAZA
		STREET 2:		281 TRESSER BLVD., 16TH FLOOR
		CITY:			STAMFORD
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06901

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SACERDOTE PETER M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001029642

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08472
		FILM NUMBER:		041220961

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
		STREET 2:		85 BROAD STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10004
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2129027202
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rs4-hexcel_sacerdoteex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000717605</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HEXCEL CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HXL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001029642</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SACERDOTE PETER M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GOLDMAN, SACHS &amp; CO.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>85 BROAD STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10004</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11100086</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3428094</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person is an advisory director of Goldman, Sachs &amp; Co. (&quot;Goldman Sachs&quot;). Goldman Sachs is a direct and
indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (&quot;GS Group&quot;). The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial
ownership of the securities reported herein as indirectly owned except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, if
any.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated December 14, 2004 (the &quot;Underwriting Agreement&quot;), and in connection with the
 registered public offering of shares of Hexcel Corporation (the &quot;Company&quot;) common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the
 &quot;Common Stock&quot;), and, together with LXH, the &quot;LXH Entities&quot; )) pursuant to the final prospectus filed by the Company on
 December 15, 2004 pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which offering was consummated on
 December 20, 2004, LXH, L.L.C. (&quot;LXH&quot;) and LXH II, L.L.C. (&quot;LXH II&quot; and, together with LXH, the &quot;LXH Entities&quot;) sold an
 aggregate of 11,100,086 shares of Common Stock, consisting of 6,321,747 shares of Common Stock sold by LXH and 4,778,339
 shares of Common Stock sold by LXH II.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">GS Group and Goldman Sachs may be deemed to beneficially own indirectly 3,424,914 shares of Common Stock by reason of the
beneficial ownership of such shares by the LXH Entities and certain investment partnerships, in each case, of which Goldman
Sachs or affiliates of Goldman Sachs and GS Group are the general partner, managing general partner, managing partner,
managing member, member, manager or investment manager. In addition, GS Group may be deemed to beneficially own 3,180 shares
of Common Stock which were granted pursuant to the Hexcel Corporation 2003 Incentive Stock Plan, consisting of 1,590 shares
of phantom stock granted to each of the Reporting Person and Sanjeev K. Mehra, a managing director of Goldman Sachs, in
their capacity as directors of the Company.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Ted Chang, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-12-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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