# Accident 19980703035399A: Grob G102ASTIR, Douglas, WA, July 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 3, 1998, 14:00 local time
- Place: Douglas, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.6905° N, 119.8809° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.6905&lon=-119.8809&mi=10
- Aircraft: N707NL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N707NL-2010-03-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS (registry code 1660104, https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-flugzeugbau-g102-astir-cs) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GROB G102ASTIR
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 826 total, 50 in this make and model, 46 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA155) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980703035399A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 3, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 PDT, GROB N707NL, PILOTED BY COMMERCIAL PILOT, WILLIAM ALLEN WAS CONDUCTIING A ROUND ROBIN GLIDER FLIGHT ORIGINATING FROM EPHRATA,WA. WHILE ATTEMPTIN TO RETURN TO EPHRATA, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION DUE TO LOSS OF LIFT AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO A PLOWED FARM FIELD HE ATTEMPTED TO GO UNDER A POWERLINE STRIKING ONE OF THE POLES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, RIGHT WING, AND CANOPY. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE HE WAS MAKING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND NEXT TO A ROAD IN A PLOWED FIELD.  THE TERRAIN WAS ROLLING WHEAT FIELDS, ALTERNATELY PLOWED AND IN USE.  HE STATED THAT HE WAS CIRCLING A HOUSE, LOOKING FOR LIFT, WHEN HE MADE THE DECISION TO LAND.  HE WIDENED HIS CIRCLE AND FLEW NORTH, PARALLEL TO THE ROAD.  THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF HIGH WINDS, AND HE DIDN'T HAVE TO CRAB THE AIRCRAFT TO CORRECT HIS TRACK OVER THE GROUND.  HE STATED THAT HE TURNED TOWARD THE ROAD AND AS HE PASSED THE MID-POINT OF HIS TURN TO THE INTENDED FINAL APPROACH, HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS BEING CARRIED INTO THE POWER WIRES ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE ROAD.  HE WAS AT WIRE HEIGHT AND IN ABOUT A 45 DEGREE BANK.  HE DIDN'T THINK HE COULD GET OVER THE WIRES AND DIDN'T WANT TO INCREASE BANK ANGLE, SO HE FLEW UNDER THE WIRES AT ABOUT A 30 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE ROAD.  THE RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK THE POLE, SPINNING THE GLIDER.  HE SAID THE GLIDER CAME TO A STOP, WITH ITS TAIL POINTED 180 DEGREES FROM THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL IN THE EDGE OF A WHEAT FIELD.  HE NOTED THAT WITHIN 30 MINUTES A THUNDERSTORM CAME THROUGH THE AREA.

## 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 SEA98LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA155), Jul 3, 1998: Burkhart Grob G102 (N707NL), Douglas, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from objects on the ground. Factors include misjudgment of weather conditions (unfavorable winds).

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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