Schweizer SGU 2-22E accident near Cadiz, Ohio, April 23, 1983
On April 23, 1983 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Schweizer SGU 2-22E (glider), registered N173JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cadiz, Ohio (Harrison County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 23, 1983 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cadiz, Ohio · Harrison County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGU 2-22E · all SGU 2-22Es on the register
- Registration
- N173JS · registry record · serial 173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT HAD SPIRALED DOWN ON BASE TO FINAL APPROACH INSTEAD OF ENTERING A DOWNWIND LEG AS BRIEFED. AS THE STUDENT TURNED ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 31, HE SAW AN AIRCRAFT THAT HAD DEPARTED RUNWAY 13 AND THOUGHT A HAZARD EXISTED. WITNESSES REPORTED THERE WAS NO HAZARD. THE STUDENT WAS HIGH ON FINAL, BUT TOO LOW FOR A 360 DEGREE TURN. HE NOSED THE GLIDER OVER AND USED SPOILERS, BUT DURING LEVELOFF, HE RETRACTED THE SPOILERS. THE GLIDER BOUNCED AND RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO A DIRT BANK. THE DIRT BANK HAD BEEN MADE BY A COAL COMPANY AND HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 10-12 YEARS.ATTEMPTS BY THE AIRPORT AUTHORITIES TO HAVE THE DIRT HAZARD REMOVED HAD BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. REPORTEDLY, RUNWAY 31 SLOPED UPHILL WITH A 70 FT INCLINE OVER ITS LENGTH.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1982; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None N/A (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,378 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 CHI83LA179.