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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 qaAdQHQrH67lwRvnUD5afQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000895345-05-000593.txt : 20050523
<SEC-HEADER>0000895345-05-000593.hdr.sgml : 20050523
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20050523182047
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000895345-05-000593
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20050519
FILED AS OF DATE:		20050523
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20050523

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HEXCEL CORP /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000717605
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PLASTICS, MATERIALS, SYNTH RESINS & NONVULCAN ELASTOMERS [2821]
		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:			MEHRA SANJEEV K
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001029623

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08472
		FILM NUMBER:		05852443

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2129027202

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		85 BROAD STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10004
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rs4-hexcel_mehraex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-05-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001029623</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MEHRA SANJEEV K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GOLDMAN, SACHS &amp; CO.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>85 BROAD STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK NY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></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>2005-05-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3006</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3431100</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person is a managing 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">The 3,006 shares of Hexcel Corporation (the &quot;Company&quot;) common stock (&quot;Common Stock&quot;) were granted pursuant to the Hexcel
Corporation 2003 Incentive Stock Plan, consisting of 1,503 shares of phantom stock granted to each of the Reporting Person
and Peter M. Sacerdote, an advisory director of Goldman Sachs (together with the Reporting Person, the &quot;GS Directors&quot;), in
their capacity as directors of the Company. Each of the GS Directors has an understanding with GS Group pursuant to which he
holds such shares for the benefit of GS Group.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">GS Group may be deemed to beneficially own the 3,006 shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Hexcel Corporation 2003
Incentive Stock Plan, consisting of 1,503 shares of phantom stock granted to each of the GS Directors in their capacity as
directors of the Company. Each grant of 1,503 shares vests in three equal installments on the grant date, which was May 19,
2005, and on the first and second anniversaries of the grant date and convert into an equal number of shares of Common Stock
on the second anniversary of the grant date, unless the grantee elects to defer conversion until such time as the grantee
ceases to be a director of the Company. Vesting and conversion are subject to certain acceleration and termination
provisions.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">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 certain investment partnerships and limited liability companies 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 GS Directors in their capacity as directors of the Company.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Edward T. Joel, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-05-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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