Schweizer SGS 2-32 accident near Hollister, California, January 25, 2008
On January 25, 2008 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-32 (glider), registered N87R, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Hollister, California (Hollister Municipal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The dual student's failure to maintain aircraft control while taxiing from the active runway and the delayed remedial action by the flight instructor. A contributing factor was the unfavorable high wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2008 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hollister, California · Hollister Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-32 · all SGS 2-32s on the register
- Registration
- N87R · no longer on the register · serial 41
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider flight instructor was giving a lesson to a 12-hour student pilot. The weather conditions were deteriorating rapidly with cloud bases at 3,900 feet and the wind was 110 degrees at 30 knots gusting to 37 knots. The tow departure was on runway 13; the flight instructor said they encountered some light rain during the tow. She said they stayed in the traffic pattern with left hand turns. The flight instructor said the student kept the glider aligned with the runway centerline and the landing was "light." The student turned off the runway on to a high speed taxiway, but the glider began drifting to the left. The left wing impacted a runway sign and light. The left wing's leading edge was indented approximately 10 inches to the spar and the left inboard aileron was wrinkled and bent. The glider club owner said that the flight instructor was delayed in taking control of the glider during taxi.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,331 hours in all; 644 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: CVH Hollister CA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: CVH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,350 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 30 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SNS, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N87R 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.