20090614016819A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Grob G103CTWINIII · Gregory, MI · June 14, 2009

Date: June 14, 2009 · 11:21 local
Place: Gregory, MI
Airport: Richmond Field
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N103MS
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09LA353
Reported as: Grob G103CTWINIII
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N103MSRegistration cancelled Jan 28, 2011 · Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACROS/N 34156 · Built 1990 Airframe modelBurkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Ground launch tow cable broke on lauch/takeoff. Aircraft did not achieve sufficient altitude to continue normal flight. Pilot initiated a 180 degree turn to land on airport property. Witness accounts and crash scene evidence support stall/spin scenario. Post crash flight control continuity check for ailerons, rudder, elevator were positive. Speed brakes were in stowed position but non operable on post crash continuity check.

As the FAA filed it

GROUND LAUNCH TOW CABLE BROKE ON LAUCH/TAKEOFF. AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACHIEVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CONTINUE NORMAL FLIGHT. PILOT INITIATED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO LAND ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. WITNESS ACCOUNTS AND CRASH SCENE EVIDENCE SUPPORT STALL/SPIN SCENARIO. POST CRASH FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK FOR AILERONS, RUDDER, ELEVATOR WERE POSITIVE. SPEED BRAKES WERE IN STOWED POSITION BUT NON OPERABLE ON POST CRASH CONTINUITY CHECK.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN09LA353Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportGregory, MIThe pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the turn to return for landing, which resulted an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the ground winch tow cable shortly after takeoff.Jun 14, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N103MS · 1

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

Accident 19990828036779AFinal Approach · San Antonio, TX(.4) The wing of the glider struck a tree when the solo student pilot was correcting the flight path to align the glider with the runway centerline during the final approach. The density altitude was calculated at 4,215 feet. The student pilot had 15.2 hours…Aug 28, 1999 · Substantial damage