Schweizer SGS-2-33 accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania, June 5, 1988
On June 5, 1988 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS-2-33 (glider), registered N1240S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania (Vansant airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ACCIDENT WAS A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING WHICH FOLLOWED A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE IMPROPER USE OF SPOILER CONTROL BY THE PRIVATE PILOT AND THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE ACTIONS OF THE PRIVATE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1988 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Erwinna, Pennsylvania · Vansant · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS-2-33 · all SGS-2-33s on the register
- Registration
- N1240S · registry record · serial 222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) RPRTD THAT WHEN HE & THE PRIVATE PLT WERE LANDING, FULL SPOILERS WERE USED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER SETTLED VERY RAPIDLY, TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BOUNCED, AND THE RIGHT WING DROPPED. THE GLIDER THEN TURNED ABOUT 70 DEG TO THE RIGHT, WENT DOWN AN INCLINE & HIT TREES. THE CFI RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM 300 DEG AT 18 GUSTING 26 KTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,123 hours in all; 492 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Country Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 9N1
- Destination: 9N1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 1,340 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC88LA159.