# Accident 20080209012659A: Grob G103ATWINII, Alamogordo, NM, February 9, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 9, 2008, 10:36 local time
- Place: Alamogordo, NM
- Airport: Alamogordo-White Sands Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8372° N, 105.9878° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8372&lon=-105.9878&mi=10
- Aircraft: N223WP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N223WP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO (registry code 1660206, https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-g-103a-twin-ii-acro) (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
- Pilot flight hours: 631 total, 250 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN08CA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08CA056) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080209012659A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 DEN08CA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08CA056), Feb 9, 2008: Burkhart Grob G-103A Twin II Acro (N223WP), Alamogordo, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The unsuitable terrain for landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's encounter with turbulence and the loss of visual contact with the tow plane.

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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