Schweizer SGS 2-33 accident near Churchton, Maryland, September 30, 1984
On September 30, 1984 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33 (glider), registered N5712S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Churchton, Maryland (Lee 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
- September 30, 1984 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Churchton, Maryland · Lee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33 · all SGS 2-33s on the register
- Registration
- N5712S · registry record · serial 58
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING GLIDER TOW CLIMBOUT, ENCOUNTER WITH THERMAL RESULTED IN MOMENTARY TOW ROPE SLACK. TOW ROPE SEPARATED IN OVERLOAD WHEN SLACK WAS TAKEN UP. GLIDER PLT SELECTED NEAREST OPEN FLD & SET UP LANDING PATTERN. ON DOWNWIND LEG, PLT NOTED OBSTRUCTIONS IN FLD, ELECTED TO DIVERT TO ANOTHER FLD STRAIGHT AHEAD & RECOGNIZED A DOWNWIND LNDG WOULD BE REQUIRED. DUE TO DOWNHILL SLOPE IN COMBINATION WITH TAILWIND, LNDG ROLL WENT BEYOND CLEAR AREA INTO HIGHER GRASS. ACFT COLLIDED WITH HIDDEN STUMP.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 116 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 980 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1984; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Churchton MD at 3:24 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:00 pm
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.