Schweizer 233A accident near Louisburg, North Carolina, August 12, 1995
On August 12, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Schweizer 233A (glider), registered N7592, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisburg, North Carolina (North Raleigh Airport). 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 flight instructor's improper in-flight planning and decision, in that he failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the trees surrounding the airport, and failed to take into consideration the high density altitude at the time of the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Louisburg, North Carolina · North Raleigh Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 233A
- Registration
- N7592 · no longer on the register · serial 192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT, DURING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWN DRAFT. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT ARREST THE AIRCRAFT DESCENT PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TREES ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 33 DEGREES CELSIUS, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE OF THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 2,762 FEET.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1995; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00NC at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,650 ft by 36 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from RDU, 10 miles away
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.