Schweizer SGS 2-33A N2045T

Summary

On 4 May 2013 at about 14:50 local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A registered N2045T, operated by Civil Air Patrol, was involved in an accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 2013 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Erwinna, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Vansant Arpt (9N1)

Coordinates

40.4839, -75.0997

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS 2-33A

Registration

N2045T

Category

Glider

Year built

1977

Operator

Civil Air Patrol

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Erwinna → Erwinna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA229

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s loss of glider control due to improper rigging of the rudder control cables, the mechanic’s inadequate flight control checks following the glider’s most recent annual inspection, and the pilot’s failure to perform a thorough preflight inspection.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The glider pilot intended to practice stalls after being towed to an altitude of 3,000 feet mean sea level. Shortly after takeoff, the tow pilot observed the glider yaw left, then right, and then left again. He added that, for most of the tow, the glider appeared to be above the normal tow position with its nose pointed 45 degrees right. About 400 feet above ground level, the glider pilot released the tow line, and the glider turned about 180 degrees left; its right wing then impacted trees, and the glider pitched down and impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the rudder control cables were rigged backward. The accident flight was the first flight following the glider's most recent annual inspection. Before the annual inspection, the rudder had been removed for repair then re-installed. The mechanic who conducted a flight control check after the annual inspection with assistance from another pilot seated in the cockpit stated that he confirmed movement of the rudder while at the rear of the glider; however, he did not see which pedal the pilot was pushing and did not verbally confirm the corresponding position of the rudder pedals. If the pilot had conducted a thorough preflight inspection, he should have been able to detect that the rudder control cables were rigged backward.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.