Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Blairstown, NJ
On May 15, 2022, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider) was involved in an accident near Blairstown, NJ. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 15, 2022
- Place
- Blairstown, NJ
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 40.973°N, 74.992°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220515105076
Official records · ERA22FA227
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On May 15, 2022, at 1458 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer SGS-2-33A glider, N17879, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Blairstown, New Jersey. The student pilot was fatally injured. The glider was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 solo instructional flight. According to the pilot’s flight instructor, he met the pilot at the airport to review his logbook and plan for two instructional flights. He reported the weather as “good with light winds and smooth conditions” based on flights he performed earlier that day. The two dual flights, which were performed in the traffic pattern for runway 25, were uneventful. The instructor noted that the pilot flew well on each flight, exercised good judgement, and flew well within safety limits. Following the completion of the second flight, the instructor issued a 90-day solo endorsement. It was the pilot’s second 90-day solo endorsement; he had received his first in November 2021. The pilot then flew two solo left traffic pattern flights. The first flight was uneventful. During the 2nd solo traffic pattern flight, the flight instructor noticed that the turn from base to final “looked early, and slightly higher than normal.” The glider then entered a forward slip and descended closer to a “normal glide path” for the runway; however, it was “somewhat close to tall trees on the left.” During recovery from a second forward slip, the glider had a slight left bank angle, which caused it to track closer to the trees. The wings then leveled, and the glider impacted trees with its left win
Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain proper alignment with the landing area during the approach, which resulted in the left wing impacting a tree.
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Browse: New Jersey · Schweizer aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
