Schweizer SGU2-22E accident near Farmington, North Carolina, May 7, 2000
On May 7, 2000 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Schweizer SGU2-22E (glider), registered N2728Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, North Carolina (Berts Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of traffic pattern altitude that resulted in an off-field landing and the subsequent collision with the ground. A factor was rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2000 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, North Carolina · Berts Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGU2-22E · all SGU2-22Es on the register
- Registration
- N2728Z · no longer on the register · serial 186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to land, the flight instructor realized that they were too low for a safe landing on the runway. The flight instructor took the flight controls from the dual student and attempted a landing in a field short of the runway surface. The flight instructor stated that the glider touched down on the main landing gear and rolled up-slope in the emergency landing area. The glider continued up-slope, rolled over the top of the knoll, became airborne momentarily, and touched down a second time. During the second touchdown the nose skid dug into the ground and the left wing collided with the ground. No mechanical problems with the glider were reported by the pilot.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 472 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 407 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 940 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,800 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from INT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.