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NYC90LA168

1990-07-21 · GT. BARRINGTON, Massachusetts, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GBR

Current FAA registration · N2724H

Make / Model
SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A
Year of manufacture
1978 · 12 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780426
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2B0D6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM TREE DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTOR WAS A LOSS OF THERMAL LIFT.

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE WITH A PRIVATE PILOT ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FRONT AND A CFI IN THE REAR SEAT. THE CFI SAID HIS PURPOSE WAS TO OBSERVE PILOTING TECHNIQUE AND JUDGEMENT WITH NO FORMAL INSTRUCTION PLANNED. THE PRIVATE PILOT TOOK THE GLIDER BEYOND GLIDING DISTANCE TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND ALTHOUGH THE CFI SAID HE PROTESTED THE PILOT'S ACTION, HE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. WITH THE PRIVATE PILOT STILL ON THE CONTROLS, THE GLIDER WAS SET UP FOR A PRECAUTIONARY OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD AND ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF SINK. THE GLIDER STRUCK A TREE, SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_NYC90LA168.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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