- Date
- July 11, 1987, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Memphis, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3950LBurkhart Grob G102-111B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 2, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870711034089A
- Case key
- 7251
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Glider tow rope released at about 200FT following t/o. glider made rt turn followed by stall/spiral which continued until ground impact. Tow pilot saw glider pilot's hat falling to ground just after tow rope was released by glider pilot. Glider canopy was found unlatched during examination of the glider wreckage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3950L
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob G102-111B
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 5598CB
- Engine
- Unknown UNKNOWN, unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Memphis Soaring Society, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · April 25, 1987 · 0 hours before
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 530 total · 220 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.