Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Tehachapi, California, October 15, 2007
On October 15, 2007 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N17888, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tehachapi, California (Mountain 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged distance/altitude that led to an undershoot, and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2007 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Tehachapi, California · Mountain Valley Airport · map
- 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
- N17888 · registry record · serial 258
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
This was the pilot's first solo glider flight. He made a standard entry into the traffic pattern for a landing approach. He noted some turbulence that caused a decrease in altitude. On the final leg, the pilot attempted a slight correction to align with the runway. The right wing tip collided with a wire fence and the glider came to rest facing the fence approximately 50 feet short of the runway. The instructor of the accident pilot, and several witnesses, noted that the traffic pattern was flown lower than normal. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L94 Tehachapi CA
- Destination: L94 Tehachapi CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 4,890 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from MHV, 14 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.
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 SEA08CA011.