# NTSB CEN20CA324: Grob G102, N3981A, Midlothian, TX, July 30, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 30, 2020, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Midlothian, TX
- Coordinates: 32.456082, -96.916256
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4561&lon=-96.9163&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101736
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA324
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101736/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101736
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA324

## Probable cause

The unstabilized landing approach in gusty wind conditions that resulted in a hard, bounced landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1660106), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=1660106), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=1660106), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1660106), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot stated that the airspeed was too fast on final approach and the glider landed hard and bounced several times before it came to a stop. The glider sustained substantial damage to the front and rear bottom of the fuselage and rudder. The pilot landed the glider on runway 36 with wind gusts to 18 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3981A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3981A), registered now, S/N 5610CB, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Grob G102 (Club Astir)
- Registry model: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB](https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-flugzeugbau-g102-club-astir-iiib) (registry code 1660106) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 5610CB
- Year built: 1983
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: JWY, Midlothian, TX
- Destination: JWY, Midlothian, TX
- Airport: JWY, Mid-Way Regional, runway 36, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 650 total, 10 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 88 °F
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observed at: JWY

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20200730021889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200730021889A), Jul 30, 2020: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB, Midlothian, TX, Destroyed. 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…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 2, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101736. 455 KB in all.

- FAA inspector's statement (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10055566&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident report photographs (item 2, PDF, 6 pages, 405 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11372067&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20Photographs-Rel.pdf

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.