- Date
- July 7, 1985, 13:27 local (17:27 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N65818Schweizer 2-33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850707034609A
- Case key
- 11181
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After liftoff both the PIC and the plt getting checked out in the Schweizer sgs 2-33A stated that they encountered moderate turbulence in the area. When the sailplane reched approximately 200 ft AGL the tom rope separated from the aircraft and N65818 was forced to make an emergency landing during which the acft was substantially damaged and the PIC suffered serious injuries. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the tow hook release spring tension was set within manufacturers limits and all other aircraft systems appeared to work properly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65818
- Reported as
- Schweizer 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 303
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- National Capital Soaring Assoc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 26, 1985
- Airport
- 9WO · Warrenton Airpark, runway 22, 2,215 × 85 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 630 total · 365 in this make and model · 545 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IAD, 23 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N65818 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.