# Accident 19960615013889A: Grob G102ASTIR, Mesquite, NV, June 15, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 1996, 17:30 local time
- Place: Mesquite, NV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.8055° N, 114.0672° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mesquite, NV, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8055&lon=-114.0672&mi=10
- Aircraft: N154SS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N154SS-1997-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS (registry code 1660104, https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-flugzeugbau-g102-astir-cs) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GROB G102ASTIR
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 2,545 total, 2,019 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX96LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA234) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960615013889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS AREA. (.19) ON JUNE 15, 1996, AT 1730 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BURKHART GROB FLUGZEUGBAU G102, N154SS, COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN DURING AN OFF-AIRSTRIP FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MESQUITE, NEVADA.  THE GLIDER BROKE INTO SEVERAL PIECES AND WAS DESTROYED.  THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM LLANO, CALIFORNIA, AT 1100. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S SON, DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT HIS FATHER AND 11 OTHER GLIDERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO FLY NONSTOP 500 KILOMETERS FROM THEIR POINT OF DEPARTURE.  NO COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES OR GLIDER CONTROL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED DURING PERIODIC RADIO CONTRACTS WITH HIS FATHER.  OTHER GLIDER PILOTS FLYING ALONG NEARBY ROUTES EXPERIENCED TURBULENCE AND OCCASIONAL DOWNDRAFTS.  THE PILOT'S SON FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE ENTIRE GLIDER WAS FOUND NEAR A RIDGELINE, AND IT APPEARED AS THOUGH HIS FATHER HAD FAILED TO LOCATE SUFFICIENT LIFT TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT TO THE MESQUITE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.  (.4) THE PILOT AND 11 OTHER GLIDER PILOTS PLANNED TO FLY NONSTOP ON A 500 K ILOMETER FLIGHT FROM THEIR POINT OF DEPARTURE, AFTER AN AERO TOW TO 7,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. NO COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES OR CONTROL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED DURING PERIODIC RADIO CONTACTS BETWEEN THE GLIDER PILOT AND THE GROUND CREW. EN ROUTE, SOME OF THE GLIDER PILOTS EXPERIENCED TURBULENCE AND OCCASIONAL DOWNDRAFTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN NEAR A RIDGE LINE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT'S SON INDICATED THAT HIS FATHER WAS APPARENTLY UNABLE TO LOCATE SUFFICIENT LIFT TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 11 MILES TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX96LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA234), Jun 16, 1996: Burkhart Grob G102 (N154SS), Mesquite, NV, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in his being forced to land in an area with unsuitable terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of available…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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