# NTSB DEN03LA100: Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III, N850BG, Moriarty, NM, June 8, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 8, 2003, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Moriarty, NM
- Coordinates: 34.986946, -106.015556
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9869&lon=-106.0156&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Albuquerque FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 57155
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA100
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57155/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA100

## Probable cause

the pilot's improper flare, and his failure to recover from the subsequent bounced landing. Contributing factors include the sudden wind shift and the tail wind.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - sudden windshift (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, landing
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

After completing a left hand turn from base to final for runway 26, the pilot felt a sudden wind shift and noticed a groundspeed increase of approximately 5 to 10 knots. The glider landed hard, bounced into the air about 10 feet above the runway, and stalled. It struck the runway in a nose down attitude collapsing both wings, and separating the fuselage from the empennage.

## Factual narrative

On June 8, 2003, at 1600 mountain daylight time, a Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III glider, N850BG, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Moriarty Airport (0E0), Moriarty, New Mexico.  The commercial pilot, the sole occupant on board, received serious injuries.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.  No flight plan had been filed for this local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91.  The flight originated at Moriarty, at approximately 1530.

One witness stated that, as the glider approached the runway  it "stalled."  The glider's left wing "dipped," and the glider "dropped."  When the glider struck the approach end of the runway, it "broke apart," and slid approximately 70 feet.

According to the pilot's statement, after completing a left hand turn from base to final for runway 26, he felt a sudden wind shift and noticed a groundspeed increase of approximately 5 to 10 knots. The glider landed hard, and bounced into the air about 10 feet above the runway. The glider stalled, and struck the runway in a nose down attitude. Both wings collapsed and the fuselage was separated from the empennage. The pilot sustained serious back injuries. The pilot also stated that the winds were westerly at 10 to 12 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N850BG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 56385
- Airframe hours: 705.2
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: John G. Sullivan
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 26, 2002, 11.3 hours before
- Departed: 0E0, Moriarty, NM
- Destination: 0E0, Moriarty, NM
- Airport: 0E0, Moriarty, runway 26, 7,700 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 71; injuries: serious; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 10, 2001; seat: center; flight hours: 2,496 total, 530 in this make and model, 2,343 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 125 ft overcast

## 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 20030608036179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030608036179A), Jun 8, 2003: Grob G102STDAST3, Moriarty, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 8, 2003 at 1600 MDT, an Grob-G102-III (N850BG) registered to, and operated by, john g. sullivan, [privacy data omitted] , received substantial…

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.

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