- Date
- April 17, 1993, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Buchanan, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N33929Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930417009629A
- Case key
- 37309
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper planning/decision, inadequate crew coordination, and failure to maintain directional control. The unfavorable wind and proximity of obstructions were related factors.
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
The pilot was demonstrating a glider takeoff to the passenger. There was confusion about who was actually on the controls for takeoff, the pilot or the passenger. The wind was a quartering left tailwind at 13 knots with gusts to 17 knots. During the ground run, the right wing dragged on the ground and directional control was lost. The pilot in command tried to regain control, but the wing struck a parked vehicle and a building.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33929
- Reported as
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A
- Category
- Glider
- Airframe hours
- 1,200
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ridge Valley Soaring Club
- Registered owner
- Ridge Valley Soaring Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1992 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- 08VA
- Destination
- 08VA
- Airport
- 08VA · Springwood Airport, runway 9, 1,500 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,717 total · 50 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F
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 N33929 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.