Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania, May 4, 2013
On May 4, 2013 at about 2:50 pm local time, a 1977 Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N2045T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Erwinna, Pennsylvania (Vansant Arpt airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of glider control due to improper rigging of the rudder control cables, the mechanic’s inadequate flight control checks following the glider’s most recent annual inspection, and the pilot’s failure to perform a thorough preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2013 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Erwinna, Pennsylvania · Vansant Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A, built 1977 · all SGS 2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N2045T · no longer on the register · serial 475
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider pilot intended to practice stalls after being towed to an altitude of 3,000 feet mean sea level. Shortly after takeoff, the tow pilot observed the glider yaw left, then right, and then left again. He added that, for most of the tow, the glider appeared to be above the normal tow position with its nose pointed 45 degrees right. About 400 feet above ground level, the glider pilot released the tow line, and the glider turned about 180 degrees left; its right wing then impacted trees, and the glider pitched down and impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the rudder control cables were rigged backward. The accident flight was the first flight following the glider's most recent annual inspection. Before the annual inspection, the rudder had been removed for repair then re-installed. The mechanic who conducted a flight control check after the annual inspection with assistance from another pilot seated in the cockpit stated that he confirmed movement of the rudder while at the rear of the glider; however, he did not see which pedal the pilot was pushing and did not verbally confirm the corresponding position of the rudder pedals. If the pilot had conducted a thorough preflight inspection, he should have been able to detect that the rudder control cables were rigged backward.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13,290 hours in all
- Last flight review: October 20, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2013; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: 9N1 Erwinna PA at 2:50 pm
- Destination: 9N1 Erwinna PA
- Runway 07, 3,058 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from DYL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 N2045T 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.