Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Shirley, New York, October 21, 2000
On October 21, 2000 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N2055T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shirley, New York (Brookhaven Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to abort the glide toward the airport. A factor was the pilot's failure to comply with the published best glide speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2000 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Shirley, New York · Brookhaven Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A · all SGS 2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N2055T · registry record · serial 495
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider was approximately 2.5 miles south of the airport. The pilot reported that he began to encounter downdrafts, and initially flew back toward the airport at 63 mph. About 2,000 feet agl, and 1.5 miles south of the airport, the pilot observed a descent rate indication of approximately 600 fpm. The pilot thought that he would not reach the airport, and elected to attempt an off airport landing. The manufacturer's published two-place best glide speed was 50 mph. That speed resulted in a lift to drag ratio of 23-1, which corresponded to a glide of approximately 8 miles from 2,000 feet. Review of weather reports revealed the glider would have had a left quartering tailwind flying from south to 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 503 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 413 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2000; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWV at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from HWV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N2055T 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.