Schweizer SGS 2-33A accident near Boulder, Colorado, July 7, 2026
On July 7, 2026 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1978 Schweizer SGS 2-33A (glider), registered N2793H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a stall and a hard bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2026 · about 4:30 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer SGS 2-33A, built 1978 · all SGS 2-33As on the register
- Registration
- N2793H · registry record · serial 533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On his first solo flight in the glider, the pilot reported that while on final approach about 5-8 ft above the runway surface, he pulled back on the stick to flare. The glider pitched up and stalled and subsequently bounced hard, about three times before coming to a rest, causing substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 21.4 hours in all; 20.7 in this make and model; 11.4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,973 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 30, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8G/2, 4,100 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KBDU, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBDU 071635Z AUTO 03004KT 10SM CLR 28/08 A3015 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2793H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Schweizer SGS 2 gliders (2-33 and 2-32) 275 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Schweizer 1,187 aircraft on the register
- Boulder Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,484 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR26LA273.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.