Schweizer SGS-2-33A accident near Hemet, California, April 23, 1986
On April 23, 1986 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS-2-33A (glider), registered N2032T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hemet, California (Hemet-Ryan airport). 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 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
- April 23, 1986 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hemet, California · Hemet-Ryan
- 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
- N2032T · no longer on the register · serial 462
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GLIDER STRUCK WIRES WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO A FIELD. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE WAS TOWED TO AN ALT OF 5,000 FT MSL (APRX 3,500 FT AGL). ON RELEASE, HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT OF MORE THAN 500 FT PER MINUTE AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO STAY AIRBORNE 6 TO 7 MINUTES. THE PLT THEN TURNED THE GLIDER TOWARD THE ARPT. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH IT, HE SELECTED A FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING AREA. ON FINAL APCH HE SAW WIRES AND ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDER THEM THE ACFT VERTICAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE WIRES DAMAGING IT AND THE RUDDER.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 291 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,549 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 1986; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Venable Aircraft CORP
The flight
- Departed from: HMT Hemet CA at 8:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,045 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:59 pm from RIV, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N2032T 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.