Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Castroville, Texas, May 23, 2007
On May 23, 2007 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N65804, was substantially damaged in an accident near Castroville, Texas (Castroville Municipal Airport). It was a glider-towing 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 flight instructor's inability to maintain directional control due to the drag created by the tall grass adjacent to the runway. A contributing factor was the tall grass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2007 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Castroville, Texas · Castroville Municipal Airport · 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
- N65804 · registry record · serial 327
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider's flight instructor elected to abort the takeoff tow after he was unable to maintain directional control of the glider due to the excessive drag created by the tall grass on the left side of the runway. The flight instructor was unable to compensate for the dragging wing and released the tow rope. The glider sustained structural damage upon impact with a cornfield.
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
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T89 Castroville TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Castroville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.