20160909017919A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109 · Emigrant Gap, CA · September 9, 2016

Date: September 9, 2016 · 14:30 local
Place: Emigrant Gap, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N909G
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA489
Reported as: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,330 total796 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N909GRegistration cancelled Jun 1, 2018 · Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109S/N 6134 · Built 1982 Airframe modelBurkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

While in cruise flight a motor glider encountered rising terrain and adverse atmospheric conditions. Pilot was in contact with ATC center and advised of problem. ATC pointed out an airport 2 miles away, however, motor glider was unable to out climb the terrain. Pilot elected to make an off-airport landing in tall pine trees and experienced minor injuries. Glider was substantially damaged. A records check found no violations of pilots regulatory flight review or aircraft regulatory inspection. Pilot reported that aircraft was functioning normally.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT A MOTOR GLIDER ENCOUNTERED RISING TERRAIN AND ADVERSE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS. PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ATC CENTER AND ADVISED OF PROBLEM. ATC POINTED OUT AN AIRPORT 2 MILES AWAY, HOWEVER, MOTOR GLIDER WAS UNABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE TERRAIN. PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN TALL PINE TREES AND EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES. GLIDER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. A RECORDS CHECK FOUND NO VIOLATIONS OF PILOTS REGULATORY FLIGHT REVIEW OR AIRCRAFT REGULATORY INSPECTION. PILOT REPORTED THAT AIRCRAFT WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY.

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 GAA16CA489Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportEmigrant Gap, CAThe pilot's inappropriate decision to continue the flight into higher elevation under high-density altitude conditions, which degraded the glider's climb performance and resulted in impact with trees short of the intended runway.Sep 9, 2016 · Substantial damage