- Date
- September 10, 2003, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Highland, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N424BGBurkhart Grob G102 Club Astir Iiib
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - St. Louis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030910026609A
- Case key
- 58058
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 encountering unsuitable terrain during an off-airport landing. A factor to the accident was the high vegetation.
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
The glider ground looped during an off-airport landing after contacting high vegetation. The pilot reported he encountered a strong and prolonged downdraft, which resulted in the glider not maintaining altitude. Because of the loss of altitude, the pilot elected to perform an off-airport landing. During landing, the wingtip of the glider contacted vegetation, which resulted in a ground loop and the glider impacted terrain.
Factual narrative
On September 10, 2003, at 1630 central daylight time, a Burkhart Grob G102 Club Astir IIIB (glider), N424BG, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain during an off-airport landing near Highland-Winet Airport (H07), Highland, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed H07 at 1600.
According to the pilot's written statement, he released the glider from the tow-plane at 3,000 feet. The pilot stated that he "attempted to work several thermals that were weak and soon dissipated." The pilot reported he was unable to gain or maintain attitude and decided to return to H07. The pilot stated he encountered a "strong and prolonged downdraft that caused rapid loss of altitude." The pilot reported he was unable to reach H07 and elected to perform an off-airport landing. During landing, the wingtip of the glider contacted vegetation, which resulted in the glider ground looping and impacting terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N424BG
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob G102 Club Astir Iiib
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 5548CB
- Airframe hours
- 3,063.7
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- St. Louis Soaring Association Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 14, 2003 · 80.4 hours before
- Departed
- H07 · Highland, IL
- Airport
- H07 · Highland-Winet Airport
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
- 79
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2003
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,583 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- BLV, 17 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 N424BG · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.