# Accident 19970629016179A: Grob G103ATWINII, Jacumba, CA, June 29, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 29, 1997, 17:10 local time
- Place: Jacumba, CA
- Airport: Jacumba Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.6303° N, 116.1802° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6303&lon=-116.1802&mi=10
- Aircraft: N18AG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18AG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burkhart Grob G 103 TWIN II (registry code 1660203, https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-g-103-twin-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GROB G103ATWINII
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 668 total, 3 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA227) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970629016179A

## Narrative

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

GLIDER DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO RETURN TO AIRPORT. LANDED IN BRUSH 200 FT N OF RUNWAY. (.4) THE GLIDER WAS BEING LAUNCHED BY A VEHICLE GROUND TOW. ABOUT 250 FEET AGL, THE TOW ROW BROKE AT THE 'WEAK LINK.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE DURING THE ROTATION. HE STATED THAT HE FELT HE WAS TOO FAR DOWN THE RUNWAY TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD, SO HE TURNED LEFT INTENDING TO FLY AN ABBREVIATED PATTERN. HE STATED THAT HE LOST ALTITUDE MORE RAPIDLY THAN HE HAD ANTICIPATED AND COULD NOT COMPLETE THE TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY. DURING THE TURN THE GLIDER DESCENDED AND THE LEFT WING TIP DRAGGED THROUGH THE VEGETATION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE GLIDER LANDED HARD WHILE SKIDDING LEFT AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF.

## 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 LAX97LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA227), Jun 30, 1997: Burkhart Grob G-103-TWIN II (N18AG), Jacumba, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's abrupt rotation, which resulted in the breaking of the tow rope. A factor was the low altitude when the tow rope broke, precluding a landing on the runway.

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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