# NTSB GAA15CA299: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir, N3872G, Wellington, OH, September 17, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 17, 2015, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Wellington, OH - Coordinates: 41.16611, -82.197219 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1661&lon=-82.1972&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 17, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Cleveland FSDO (FAA) - NTSB case key (mKey): 92182 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA299 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92182/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92182 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA299 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to level the wings during the landing flare, which resulted in the left wing striking the runway. ## 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: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of a glider reported that he encountered a "heavy sink" on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern. He immediately made a left steep turn toward the runway, but the left wing impacted terrain during the turn to final. Subsequently, the tail section of fuselage impacted the runway, and the glider came to rest on the runway surface. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. About the time of the accident at an airport 11 nautical miles north of the destination airport, the wind was reported at 210 degrees true at 8 knots, the sky condition was clear, temperature was 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit), and dew point was 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot of a glider reported that he encountered a "heavy sink" on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern. He immediately made a left steep turn toward the runway, but the left wing impacted terrain during the turn to final. Subsequently, the tail section of fuselage impacted the runway, and the glider came to rest on the runway surface. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. About the time of the accident at an airport 11 nautical miles north of the destination airport, the wind was reported at 210 degrees true at 8 knots, the sky condition was clear, temperature was 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit), and dew point was 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: N3872G (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BURKHART GROB FLUGZEUGBAU G103 TWIN ASTIR (TWIN II) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 3777 - Year built: 1983 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Fun Country Soaring Inc - Registered owner: Fun Country Soaring Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 67D, Wellington, OH - Destination: 67D, Wellington, OH - Airport: 67D, Reader-Botsford, runway 36, 2,850 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; last flight review September 3, 2015; seat: front; flight hours: 429 total, 167 in this make and model, 8.6 in the last 90 days, 2.2 in the last 30 days, 0.3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 210° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KLPR, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150917017939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150917017939A), Sep 17, 2015: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, Wellington, OH, Substantial damage. During landing roll the airman drug a wing tip causing the left wing to strike the gound. Centrifugal force made the glider turn aggressively subsequently… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92182. 2.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434927&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Docket Photo (item 2, .PDF, 157 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40434928&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Docket%20Photo-Master.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.