Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near New River, Arizona, October 23, 1983
On October 23, 1983 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N7558, was substantially damaged in an accident near New River, Arizona (Pleasant Valley airport). It was a personal 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 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
- October 23, 1983 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- New River, Arizona · Pleasant Valley · 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
- N7558 · registry record · serial 188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS 9TH SOLO LANDING WHEN HE LANDED ON RWY 27 WITH A X-WING FROM 200 DEG AT 10 KTS. DURING THE LANDING, THE GLIDER DRIFTED TO THE NORTH INTO SOME BUSHES, THEN SWERVED INTO A TREE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT UPON LANDING, HE LOWER THE WRONG WING (RIGHT WING) & ALLOWED THE GLIDER TO DRIFT TO THE NORTH.
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: 41 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,577 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 8, 1983; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N7558 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.