Schweizer SGS 2-33 accident near Ephrata, Washington, August 2, 1998
On August 2, 1998 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33 (glider), registered N5720S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ephrata, Washington (Ephrata Municipal airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot-in-command's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing. Contributing factors were panic and inadequate initial training.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1998 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ephrata, Washington · Ephrata Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33 · all SGS 2-33s on the register
- Registration
- N5720S · no longer on the register · serial 65
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 14-year-old Civil Air Patrol (CAP) student pilot-in-command had completed two auto-tow dual flights on the morning of the accident and was on her initial solo flight (also an auto-tow) when, according to the FAA CAP liaison officer, 'she landed with excessive airspeed, and bounced back in the air after touchdown' and then 'panicked and let go of the controls.' The FAA CAP liaison officer reported that 'witness's [sic] could hear her screaming' and that 'the left wing of the glider dropped and the nose turned to the left and dropped' and then 'the left wing hit the ground, followed by the nose.' The pilot had a total of 2 hours of flight experience all within the previous ten days to the accident, which included about 22 auto-tow flights to about 800 feet, and two aero-tow flights to approximately 3,000 feet. The FAA CAP liaison officer reported that the-14-year old student pilot may not have been mature enough for this intensive training program.
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: student
- Flight time: 2 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EPH at 5:27 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,000 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from MWH, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N5720S 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.