What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 9, 2008, at approximately 1030 MST, a Grob 103 twin astir ii, N223WP, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it landed off the runway at Alamogordo airport. The pilot reported he was approximately 200 ft AGL on tow when he encountered a turbulent updraft and lost sight of the towplane. He released and initiated a right hand turn to land opposite of rwy 21. The altitude was too low to complete the turn so he leveled the wings and landed off-field. Upon landing the left wing struck vegetation and the glider ground-looped resulting in substantial damage to the rear fuselage, left wing and the rear canopy. No injuries to pilot or passenger. Towplane completed a normal pattern and landed uneventfully on rwy 03.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 9, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 1030 MST, A GROB 103 TWIN ASTIR II, N223WP, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT LANDED OFF THE RUNWAY AT ALAMOGORDO AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL ON TOW WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A TURBULENT UPDRAFT AND LOST SIGHT OF THE TOWPLANE. HE RELEASED AND INITIATED A RIGHT HAND TURN TO LAND OPPOSITE OF RWY 21. THE ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW TO COMPLETE THE TURN SO HE LEVELED THE WINGS AND LANDED OFF-FIELD. UPON LANDING THE LEFT WING STRUCK VEGETATION AND THE GLIDER GROUND-LOOPED RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR FUSELAGE, LEFT WING AND THE REAR CANOPY. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER. TOWPLANE COMPLETED A NORMAL PATTERN AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON RWY 03.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.