20260603005999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Grob 103 · Gregory, MI · June 3, 2026

Date: June 3, 2026 · 16:00 local
Place: Gregory, MI
Airport: Richmond Field
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4101M
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN26LA233
Reported as: Grob 103
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 25,000 total200 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N4101MRegistered now · Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIRS/N 3796 · Built 1983 Airframe modelBurkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR 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.

The flight was a glider instructional flight, where a student was receiving instruction to prepare for a practical test. The instructor wanted to simulate a rope break shorlty after liftoff. The instructor released the towrope at an altitude of 15 to 20 feet.

The runway is 2600 feet long and sod. Runway 18 is a downsloping runway.

Beyond the deparure end of the runway, the terrain slopes significantly downward.

The instructor initiated the release of the towrope without enough runway left to facilitate a straight-ahead landing.

The aircraft touched town beyond the runway in downsloping terrain and tall grass. Upon touchdown the aircraft ground looped and the rudder was damaged.

As the FAA filed it

THE FLIGHT WAS A GLIDER INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WHERE A STUDENT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION TO PREPARE FOR A PRACTICAL TEST. THE INSTRUCTOR WANTED TO SIMULATE A ROPE BREAK SHORLTY AFTER LIFTOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR RELEASED THE TOWROPE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 15 TO 20 FEET.

THE RUNWAY IS 2600 FEET LONG AND SOD. RUNWAY 18 IS A DOWNSLOPING RUNWAY.

BEYOND THE DEPARURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE TERRAIN SLOPES SIGNIFICANTLY DOWNWARD.

THE INSTRUCTOR INITIATED THE RELEASE OF THE TOWROPE WITHOUT ENOUGH RUNWAY LEFT TO FACILITATE A STRAIGHT-AHEAD LANDING.

THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED TOWN BEYOND THE RUNWAY IN DOWNSLOPING TERRAIN AND TALL GRASS. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED AND THE RUDDER WAS DAMAGED.

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 CEN26LA233Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportGregory, MIThe flight instructor’s improper planning during the simulated aborted launch which resulted in a touchdown on unsuitable terrain.Jun 3, 2026 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4101M · 1

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

Accident 19930626020489ALevel Off Touchdown · Ionia, MILanded short off runway in tall grass to avoid another glider on runway awaiting a tow.Jun 26, 1993 · Reported as Grob G103ATWIN2 · Substantial damage