Schweizer SGS 1-23 accident near Battleboro, North Carolina, September 24, 1983
On September 24, 1983 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 1-23 (glider), registered N124M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Battleboro, North Carolina (Pvt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1983 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Battleboro, North Carolina · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 1-23 · all SGS 1-23s on the register
- Registration
- N124M · registry record · serial 3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SPUN INTO THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RWY ON FINAL APPROACH. THIS GLIDER WAS TOWED ALOFT AND FLEW IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR OVER AN HOUR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE GLIDER ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, TURN BASE AND OVERSHOOT THE TURN TO FINAL. THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN FOLLOWED BY A SPIN FROM ABOUT 150 AGL. THIS WAS THE FIRST GLIDER FLT FOR THE PLT IN OVER 6 MONTHS. THE ACFT IMPACTED ON THE NOSE AND LEFT WING. A SHOULDER HARNESS WAS AVAILABLE BUT WAS NOT USED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 578 hours in all; 14 in the last 90 days; 444 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Battleboro NC at 7:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Observation at 8:50 pm from RWI, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL83FA377.