- Date
- April 24, 2016, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N40880Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20160424024999A
- Case key
- 93075
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 glider's loss of lift as a result of unfavorable wind conditions for glider operations, consequently resulting in a collision with trees.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, while maneuvering the glider about 2,900 feet above ground level, the pilot determined that the wind conditions were not conducive to sustain flight and turned toward the runway in order to establish an approach. He recalled that while maneuvering toward the runway, he encountered downdrafts and began to lose altitude rapidly. He reported that he issued a mayday call about ¾ of a statute mile from the runway, established a nose up attitude to decrease the airspeed, and the glider impacted the trees. The glider sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the glider prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while maneuvering the glider about 2,900 feet above ground level, the pilot determined that the wind conditions were not conducive to sustain flight and turned toward the runway in order to establish an approach. He recalled that while maneuvering toward the runway, he encountered downdrafts and began to lose altitude rapidly. He reported that he issued a mayday call about ¾ of a statute mile from the runway, established a nose up attitude to decrease the airspeed, and the glider impacted the trees. The glider sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the glider prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40880
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir (TWIN II)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 3795
- Built
- 1983
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tucson Soaring Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Tucson Soaring Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 2016 · 7,568.8 hours before
- Departed
- AZ67 · Tucson, AZ
- Destination
- AZ67 · Marana, AZ
- Airport
- AZ67 · El Tiro
- Equipment
- None
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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- January 17, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 190 total · 42 in this make and model · 181 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KMZJ, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 11, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.