- Date
- April 1, 1993, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kingston, GA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N792GBurkhart Grob G102
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930401007779A
- Case key
- 3197
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's attempted return to the departure runway that resulted in a stall at an altutude that was too low to permit recovery.
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
During a towed take off, the tow plane lost engine power and the tow pilot released the glider. The glider pilot also released the tow line, then began a left turn to provide enough room to make a right turn back to the runway. He stated that, during the right turn back to the runway, the nose fell and the glider impacted the ground.
Factual narrative
On April 1, 1993, at about 1330 eastern standard time, a Grob 102, N792G, collided with the ground during a forced landing at Kingston, Georgia. The glider was registered to and operated by Atlanta Soaring Club, Inc. under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. There were minor injuries to the private pilot, while the glider was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time.
During a towed take off, the tow plane's engine lost power. The tow pilot released the glider at about 150 feet above the ground. The glider pilot stated that he released the tow rope, then turned left to provide room to make a right turn back to the runway. According to the glider pilot, during the right turn the "nose fell & I hit the ground." The tow pilot's diagram of the airstrip depicted an open field to the east of the runway. He stated that it was his planned emergency landing site when the engine lost power.
Subsequently, the tow pilot discovered that the fuel shut-off valve had been partially closed. The position of the fuel shut- off valve resulted in a loss of power until the throttle was reduced.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N792G
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob G102
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 5629
- Airframe hours
- 1,208
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Atlanta Soaring Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1992 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- ETO
- Destination
- ETO
- Airport
- ETO · Etowah Bend, runway 18, 3,800 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 123 total · 79 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MGE, 25 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.
Other investigations on N792G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.