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ERA21LA330

2021-08-15 · North Springfield, Vermont, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VSF

Current FAA registration · N2805H

Make / Model
SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A
Year of manufacture
1978 · 43 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780608
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2D10A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The check pilot's failure to account for the extended departure distance from the airport during a simulated tow rope break and recovery.

Factual narrative

Two glider pilots were conducting a simulated rope break from 200ft above ground level (AGL). The glider pilot had requested the tow pilot sidestep right on upwind further than normal to allow for enough distance between the upwind leg and the runway. After a normal takeoff, the tow pilot sidestepped further right than the previous flights. After the tow rope was released, the glider pilot made a steep turn back toward the runway and realized that the runway was beyond glide distance. The pilot elected to land the glider in a clear area beside a dirt road, but during the landing, the left wing impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Instructor/check pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Glide-Capability exceeded

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_ERA21LA330.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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