Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Mattoon, Illinois, July 28, 1986
On July 28, 1986 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N65901, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mattoon, Illinois (Coles County Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1986 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Mattoon, Illinois · Coles County Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A · all SGS 2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N65901 · no longer on the register · serial 361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED FOR TAKEOFF BEHIND A TOW PLANE. ACCORDING TO THE GLIDER INSTRUCTOR, THE INITIAL ACCELERATION APPEARED NORMAL. AS THE TOW PLANE AND THE GLIDER NEARED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE GLIDER INSTRUCTOR BELIEVED THE TOW PLANE WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM ACCELERATING TO TAKEOFF SPEED, SO HE RELEASED THE TOW LINE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APRX 5 FT. HE THEN TURNED FOR AN AREA FOR LANDING AND THE GLIDER TOUCHED DOWN IN A 'NOSE DOWN PANCAKE LANDING.' LATER, THE INSTRUCTOR LEARNED THAT THE SPEED BRAKES AND SPOILERS WERE FULLY DEPLOYED DURING THE ENTIRE TAKEOFF RUN & SUBSEQUENT SHORT FLIGHT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 504 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,450 ft by 250 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from DEC, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.