Schweizer SGS-2-33A accident near Waialua, Hawaii, October 14, 1999
On October 14, 1999, a Schweizer SGS-2-33A (glider), registered N17914, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waialua, Hawaii. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in recognizing the onset of a wind direction change resulting in the downward flow of wind on the leeward side of the mountain (strong sink rate).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1999
- Place
- Waialua, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS-2-33A · all SGS-2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N17914 · registry record · serial 290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made an off-airport landing due to loss of lift and collided with ground obstructions on the roll out. The pilot stated that no weather facilities are located at the uncontrolled field, other than windsocks that are located at each end, and at midfield. He stated that the preflight weather briefing forecast was for winds from the northeast consistent with the prevailing northeast trade winds. The pilot indicated that he also received local weather information from other glider pilots who had been flying prior to his departure. He said that at 2,000 feet agl he released the glider from the tow plane and began to lose altitude instead of gaining altitude as he expected. He turned to the north, away from a ridge where a strong sink rate had been reported, and proceeded to the practice area. Shortly thereafter, he realized that strong southwesterly winds were creating a strong sink rate condition and he turned toward the airport. When it became apparent that he had insufficient altitude to reach the airport he elected to make an off field landing on a road in an abandoned sugar cane plantation. During the landing rollout the left wing contacted a dirt berm; the glider turned 180 degrees from the initial landing direction and came to rest in a ditch.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,900 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 9,228 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,731 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1998; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol Hawaii Wing
The flight
- Departed from: HDH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from HHI, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.