# Accident 20050709014079A: Grob G103TWNASTIR, Moriarty, NM, July 9, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 2005, 12:45 local time
- Place: Moriarty, NM
- Airport: Moriarty Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.9869° N, 106.0158° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9869&lon=-106.0158&mi=10
- Aircraft: N916G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N916G-2019-10-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR (registry code 1660202, https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-flugzeugbau-g103-twin-astir) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GROB G103TWNASTIR
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 300 total, 100 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050709014079A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 9, 2005, AT 1245 MDT, A GROB G-103 GLIDER, N916G, REGISTERED TO THE ALBUQUERQUE SOARING CLUB, GROUND LOOPED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 26 AT MORIARITY, NM (0E0) DURING A PART 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE GLIDER PILOT HAD RELEASED FROM THE TOW PLANE AFTER THE TOW PLANE'S PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY AFTER ENCOUNTERING A DUST DEVIL. THE GLIDER PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE ADJACENT TAXIWAY WHEN THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE ASPHALT, CAUSING THE GLIDER TO CARTWHEEL OFF THE TAXIWAY WHERE IT CAME TO REST FACING BACK ALONG THE DIRECTION IT HAD COME FROM. THE TAIL SECTION, RIGHT WING, AND CANOPY WERE BROKEN AND THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED, AND NO WEATHER BRIEFING HAD BEEN OBTAINED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AND WAS INTENDED TO TERMINATE AT THE MORIARITY 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 DEN05LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA108), Jul 9, 2005: Grob G103 (N916G), Moriarty, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the glider pilot's intentional tow release at too low an altitude when he erroneously perceived the tow plane was about to crash. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain on which to make a…

## Other reports on N916G (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19990801123452I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990801123452I), Aug 1, 1999: Grob G103TWNASTIR (N916G), Osceola, WI, Minor damage, 2 fatal. At approx. 1600 MDT on 08/01/99 I received a call from FAA inspector jd huss of the abq FSDO who advised me of an incident that occurred at oeo airport at…
- [Accident 19850507015669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850507015669A), May 7, 1985: Grob G103TWNASTIR (N916G), Willaimson, GA, Substantial damage. Touched down heading toward a fence. Lifted off. Touched down hard on runway edge markers.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.