What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 7/30/2020 aircraft N3981A, a Burkhart grob FL (glider) was performing solo training flights at Midlothian Airport. During a routine landing attempt, the aircraft experienced a hard landing, bounced twice on the runway resulting in catastrophic damage, totally destroying the aircraft. The pilot, sole person on-board, suffered minor injuries and chose not to seek medical attention.
During an interview with the pilot he stated this was a solo flight conducted after several 2 seat glider flights with a certified instructor; these flights were conducted without incident. Piloted stated verbally and in a written statement (see attached) he was too fast on his landing resulting in stated incident. Pilot also stated due to high wind gusts, the initial scheduled flight was delayed a couple of hours. Prior to takeoff pilot reported winds were just below maximum allowed for operation.
As the FAA filed it
ON 7/30/2020 AIRCRAFT N3981A, A BURKHART GROB FL (GLIDER) WAS PERFORMING SOLO TRAINING FLIGHTS AT MIDLOTHIAN AIRPORT. DURING A ROUTINE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING, BOUNCED TWICE ON THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE, TOTALLY DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT, SOLE PERSON ON-BOARD, SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND CHOSE NOT TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.
DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT HE STATED THIS WAS A SOLO FLIGHT CONDUCTED AFTER SEVERAL 2 SEAT GLIDER FLIGHTS WITH A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR; THESE FLIGHTS WERE CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PILOTED STATED VERBALLY AND IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT (SEE ATTACHED) HE WAS TOO FAST ON HIS LANDING RESULTING IN STATED INCIDENT. PILOT ALSO STATED DUE TO HIGH WIND GUSTS, THE INITIAL SCHEDULED FLIGHT WAS DELAYED A COUPLE OF HOURS. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF PILOT REPORTED WINDS WERE JUST BELOW MAXIMUM ALLOWED FOR OPERATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.