Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Lake Village, Indiana, April 4, 2004
On April 4, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N17882, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Village, Indiana (Lake Village 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 unsuitable terrain the Certified Flight Instructor encountered during the off-field landing. The low altitude, the downdraft or "sink" experienced during flight, and the soft terrain conditions were factors to the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Village, Indiana · Lake Village · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A · all SGS 2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N17882 · no longer on the register · serial 252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider operated by a certified flight instructor (CFI), sustained substantial damage during approach. The CFI stated that while approaching for a downwind landing, he observed that the aircraft was too low for a normal approach and landing. The CFI reported that he cut the corner and flew over a small clump of trees and on the downwind side of the trees encountered a significant sink and landed in a soft field. Upon landing the glider bounced hard and the right wingtip dug into the ground. The student pilot reported a similar sequence of events. The CFI reported no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the glider.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,553 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 12, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Last flight review: December 21, 2003
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,243 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 2003; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C98 Lake Village IN
- Destination: C98 Lake Village IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 4:04 pm from IKK
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.