Schweizer SGS 2 33A accident near Waynesville, Ohio, October 12, 2014
On October 12, 2014 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2 33A (glider), registered N36135, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Waynesville, Ohio (Caesar Creek Gliderport airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2014 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Waynesville, Ohio · Caesar Creek Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2 33A · all SGS 2 33As on the register
- Registration
- N36135 · registry record · serial 564
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor planned on conducting a flight review in a glider, which was expected to take three flights. The first flight was the accident flight. After departure, the pilot performed several maneuvers behind the tow plane, to include 90-degree steep turns, before releasing from the tow plane. The pilot performed some additional maneuvers before descending to 1,500 ft agl in preparation to land. The flight instructor reported that he gave no specific instructions to the pilot for the landing. As the glider approached the runway, the pilot preformed a forward slip with full rudder and full spoilers deployed. The pilot stopped the slip in order to clear trees at the end of the runway. After clearing the trees, the pilot resumed the slip with the spoilers still deployed. As the glider neared the ground, the pilot discontinued the slip. The flight instructor said that as the pilot came out of the slip, the glider's descent rate increased. The pilot made no attempt to flare the glider, which resulted in a hard landing. The glider sustained only minor damage; however, the pilot was seriously injured. The flight instructor stated that an upslope in the runway may have given the pilot the visual illusion that that they were higher above the ground than they actually were. He also said that he was overly confident in the pilot's ability and let his guard down.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Flight time: 1,166 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,084 as pilot in command; 240 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 6, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 14, 2014
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2014
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Soaring Society Of Dayton INC
The flight
- Departed from: 2OH9 Waynesville OH
- Destination: 2OH9 Waynesville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,800 ft; ovct at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from ILN, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N36135 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.