# Accident 19980705015659A: Grob G103ATWINII, Refugio, TX, July 5, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 1998, 14:15 local time
- Place: Refugio, TX
- Airport: Rooke Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.3002° N, 97.2709° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3002&lon=-97.2709&mi=10
- Aircraft: N103GG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N103GG-2002-02-21) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA301) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980705015659A

## Narrative

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

DURING GLIDER TOW AT 150FT AGL THE CANOPY OPENED. RELEASED TOW AND TRIED RETURN. SEPEATED GAR AND TAIL LANDING. (.4) DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM RUNWAY 14, ABOUT 150 TO 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE REAR CANOPY OF THE GLIDER OPENED. THE PILOT RELEASED THE TOWLINE AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY.  DURING THE ENSUING LANDING, THE GLIDER 'GROUND LOOPED,' STRIKING ITS RIGHT WING ON THE GROUND.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FORGOT TO LATCH THE CANOPY PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.                                                      (-23) ON JULY 5, 1998, AT 1415 CDT, A GROB GLIDER, N103GG, WHILE UNDER TOW, THE CANOPY CAME OPEN AND THE PILOT RELEASED THE TOW ROPE AND ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING, THE PILOT TRIED TO AVOID A HANGER CATCHING THE RIGHT WING TIP CAUSING THE GLIDER TO GROUND LOOP.

## 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 FTW98LA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA301), Jul 5, 1998: Burkhart Grob G103 Twin II (N103GG), Refugio, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent ground loop. A factor was the pilot's failure to follow procedures in securing the rear canopy, which resulted in the canopy opening in flight.

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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