Warrenton Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Warrenton, Virginia 22186
Sunday, July 7, 1985 13:27 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LIFTOFF BOTH THE PIC AND THE PLT GETTING CHECKED OUT IN THE SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A STATED THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE AREA. WHEN THE SAILPLANE RECHED APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL THE TOM ROPE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND N65818 WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING DURING WHICH THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PIC SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE TOW HOOK RELEASE SPRING TENSION WAS SET WITHIN MANUFACTURERS LIMITS AND ALL OTHER AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS APPEARED TO WORK PROPERLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1327
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WARRENTON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22186
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WARRENTON AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9WO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 436
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 49
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2400
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1937
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29334
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65818
NTSB Number BFO85LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model 2-33A
Aircraft Series Identifier 2-33A
Aircraft Serial Number 303
Certified Max Gross Weight 1040
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 26 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NATIONAL CAPITAL SOARING ASSOC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10158 TAPESTRY COURT
Aircraft Owner City FAIRFAX
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22032
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2215
Runway Width 85
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --