- Date
- May 10, 1992, 14:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ionia, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N140BGBurkhart Grob G-103
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920510013909A
- Case key
- 15439
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-in-command's improper preflight and decision to close the glider's canopy at low altitude.
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 was in the initial climb phase from takeoff at an estimated altitude of 150-200' AGL when the canopy suddenly unlatched and struck the right wing. The canopy was still attached, and the pilot attempted to close it. The pilot reported he became disoriented in relation to the tow airplane while attempting to close the canopy, and elected to pull the tow release. Altitude was insufficient for a return to the runway, and an off-airport site was selected. The glider was substantially damaged during the landing in a rough field. A postaccident inspection of the glider disclosed no mechanical deficiencies with the canopy latching mechanism.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N140BG
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob G-103
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 33902-K-140
- Airframe hours
- 1,510
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Benz Aviation
- Registered owner
- Benz Aviation
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 3, 1991 · 62 hours before
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 410 total · 88 in this make and model · 402 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAN, 20 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 N140BG · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.