Schweizer SGS2-33A accident near Sun City, Arizona, November 9, 1986
On November 9, 1986 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS2-33A (glider), registered N7558, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sun City, Arizona (Pleasant Valley 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
- November 9, 1986 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Sun City, 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 SGS2-33A · all SGS2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N7558 · registry record · serial 188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO FIND SUFFICIENT LIFT & DECIDED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING. DUE TO HIS LOW ALTITUDE, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO FLY A NORMAL PATTERN ENTRY. A DOWNWIND LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED; HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE RUNWAY, OTHER AIRCRAFT WERE DEPARTING. THE PILOT PARALLELED THE RUNWAY STILL ANTICIPATING A NORMAL LANDING. WHILE TURNING TOWARD THE RUNWAY, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED AN ADDITIONAL LOSS OF ALTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO ANOTHER LANDING SPOT, BUT THE GLIDER'S LEFT WING TIP COLLIDED WITH A SAGUARO CACTUS ABOUT 250 TO 300 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD 1053 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME IN SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT, BUT ONLY 11.9 HRS IN GLIDERS. ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, HE HELD ONLY A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,065 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 845 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,476 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 19, 1986; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sun City AZ at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from DVT, 11 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 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.