# Accident 20170615010869A: Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO, Boerne, TX, June 15, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2017, 15:40 local time
- Place: Boerne, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.7253° N, 98.6947° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7253&lon=-98.6947&mi=10
- Aircraft: N103GH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N103GH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO (registry code 1660207, https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-g103c-twin-iii-acro) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BURKHART GROB G103C TWIN III ACRO
- Reported engine: NONE NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 22,000 total, 350 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA343) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170615010869A

## Narrative

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

FLIGHT REVIEW WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN N103GH. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRCRAFT ARE GLIDER RATED PILOTS.  PILOT 1 WAS INSTRUCTING PILOT 2.  THIS WAS THE SECOND FIGHT AND SECOND DAY OF INSTRUCTION RECEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER PILOT 2'S LONG ABSENCE FROM FLYING. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE LESSON WAS PILOT PROFICIENCY.

WEATHER WAS VFR WITH CLEAR, CONVECTIVE ATMOSPHERE CONDUCIVE TO GLIDER OPERATIONS. PILOT STATEMENT INDICATES THE 5C1 METAR AS: WIND 160 9 GUST 14, CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 33/18, 29.92, DENSITY ALTITUDE 3,700 MSL.

ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17 N103GH DID NOT HAVE HAD ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO OVERCOME DESCENDING AIR AND/OR POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR.   SPOILERS WERE RETRACTED AND ATTITUDE ADJUSTED TO RECOVER THE APPROACH PATH. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TOP OF THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY FENCE. THE IMPACT OF TWO STEEL T FENCE POSTS BY THE RIGHT WING AND MAIN WHEEL SNAGGING THE TOP WIRE OF MESH FENCING DECELERATING THE AIRCRAFT TO NEAR STALL SPEED AND MOMENTUM OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF CENTER LINE APPROXIMATELY HEADING 20 TO 30 DEGREES  RIGHT IN A FIRM LANDING LEAVING MAIN GEAR GROUND SCAR APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET BEYOND FENCE 150 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY 17 THRESHOLD. A GROUND LOOP ENSUED. THE CLOCKWISE MOMENTUM  AND DEGRIDATED AIRSPEED RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL.  AS THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED, IT SLID INTO A CULVERT AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL PIVOTED INTO THE EMBANKMENT.

THE ENERGY WAS ENOUGH TO SEPARATE THE EMPENAGE FROM THE FUESELAGE AND BREAK THE LEFT WING TIP.  THE FENCE POSTS DAMAGED THE RIGHT WING TIP AND LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING. THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR ASSEMBLIES ARE DAMAGED.  FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE CONNECTED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.  ELEVATOR AND RUDDER PUSH ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE BENT DURING EMPENAGE BEING SEPARATED.

## 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 GAA17CA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA343), Jun 15, 2017: Burkhart Grob G103C (N103GH), Boerne, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glidepath and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in the glider landing short of the runway.

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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