Schweizer 2-33A accident near Warrenton, Virginia, July 7, 1985
On July 7, 1985 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Schweizer 2-33A (glider), registered N65818, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia (Warrenton Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- July 7, 1985 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Warrenton, Virginia · Warrenton Airpark
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 2-33A
- Registration
- N65818 · registry record · serial 303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LIFTOFF BOTH THE PIC AND THE PLT GETTING CHECKED OUT IN THE SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A STATED THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE AREA. WHEN THE SAILPLANE RECHED APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL THE TOM ROPE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND N65818 WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING DURING WHICH THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PIC SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE TOW HOOK RELEASE SPRING TENSION WAS SET WITHIN MANUFACTURERS LIMITS AND ALL OTHER AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS APPEARED TO WORK PROPERLY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 365 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 545 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,215 ft by 85 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from IAD, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N65818 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 BFO85LA053.