NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA17CA298
Registry · N1242S
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A
Year of manufacture
1971 · 46 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19710913
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0653D
Registrant of record
NEW ENGLAND SOARING ASSOCIATION
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The student pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glidepath and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in the glider landing short of the runway in trees.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during the turn to final approach, the glider appeared to be above glidepath, so the student pilot used dive brakes to descend. He added that once the glider returned to a normal glidepath the student retracted the dive brakes, but the glider continued in a "higher than normal" descent rate. The flight instructor took control of the glider and landed short of the intended runway in trees. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot failed to submit a written statement after multiple requests. The flight instructor reported that, during the turn to final approach, the glider appeared to be above glidepath, so the student pilot used dive brakes to descend. He added that, once the glider returned to a normal glidepath, the student retracted the dive brakes, but the glider continued in a "higher than normal" descent rate. The flight instructor took control of the glider and landed short of the intended runway in trees. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot failed to submit a written statement after multiple requests. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
- C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
- C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
- — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Tree(s)-Contributed to outcome
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2017_GAA17CA298.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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