Schweizer SGS 2-33AK N17965

Summary

On 30 July 2010 at about 18:50 local time, a Schweizer SGS 2-33AK registered N17965, operated by Tidewater Soaring Society, was involved in an accident near Windsor, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 July 2010 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Windsor, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Garner Gliderport (3VA8)

Coordinates

36.8536, -76.6758

Aircraft

Schweizer SGS 2-33AK

Registration

N17965

Category

Glider

Operator

Tidewater Soaring Society

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Windsor → Windsor

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10LA387

1 person had minor injuries.

The unauthorized installation of a battery and associated wiring and electrical components, which resulted in an in-flight electrical fire of undetermined origin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On the morning of the accident, the pilot arrived at the gliderport to practice for a check ride he was scheduled to take later that afternoon. The pilot, who was not a mechanic, selected and installed a "Gel-cell" battery behind the forward pilot seat during the preflight inspection of the glider. The battery was used to power the radio in the instrument panel. The pilot completed a low-level, traffic pattern flight and was then towed to 3,000 feet msl for a second flight. The glider climbed to 3,400 feet, about 5 miles from the gliderport, where the pilot smelled an unusual odor. The odor got stronger, he felt heat, and observed fire in the back seat. The pilot then deployed the spoilers and initiated an emergency descent. During the descent, the cockpit filled with smoke, and the pilot opened the canopy to clear the smoke. The smoke cleared, but the increased airflow exacerbated the fire. The pilot completed a forced landing to trees short of the gliderport, during which the glider sustained substantial damage in the ensuing post-crash fire. Examination of the glider by an NTSB fire and explosion expert could not determine the exact source of ignition in the battery or its associated wiring. Examination of the maintenance logbooks revealed that there were no entries for the work performed to install the electrical system, and neither was there any approval paperwork from the FAA pertaining to the modification.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.