# NTSB LAX86LA360: Burkhart Grob G102 III B, N630BG, California City, CA, September 5, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 5, 1986, 13:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place: California City, CA
- Coordinates: 35.149162, -117.91996 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1492&lon=-117.9200&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 25268
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX86LA360
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/25268/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX86LA360

## Sequence of events

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

- Miscellaneous/other, descent - normal
  - aircraft preflight - inattentive, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - window,flight compartment window/windshield - open (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - diverted attention, pilot in command (cause)
  - altitude - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - remedial action - not possible, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - stall/spin - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PLT STATED HE WAS TOWED TO AN ALT OF APRX 2,000 FT AGL. AFTER RELEASE THE CANOPY CAME OPEN AND THE PLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT. ON FINAL APCH HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS INDICATING 'LOW FORTIES'. THE PLT STATED THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERED WAS 'LOOKING FORWARD AND SEEING THE GROUND, WITH SLIGHT ROTATION. SPIN!' THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A 45 DEG NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A PLT WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT INDICATED HE FIRST OBSERVED THE GLIDER ON FINAL APCH. HE STATED, 'IT LOOKED LEVEL AND NORMAL, THEN THE NOSE CAME DOWN IN A STEEP ATTITUDE (NOT UN-COMMON) THE NOSE CAME UP,' AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL AND THEN THE NOSE WENT LEFT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N630BG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N630BG-2014-12-18), registration cancelled 2014-12-18, S/N 5630CB, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Burkhart Grob G102 III B
- Registry model: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 CLUB ASTIR IIIB](https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-flugzeugbau-g102-club-astir-iiib) (registry code 1660106) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 563008
- Airframe hours: 193
- Engines: unknown UNK unknown
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: California City Soaring
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 3, 1986, 15 hours before
- Departed: L71, CALIFORNIA CITY, CA
- Airport: L71, California City Muni, runway 24, 6,035 × 55 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 66; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 768 total, 15 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F

## 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 19860905050929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860905050929A), Sep 5, 1986: Grob G102ASTIR, California City, CA, Destroyed. The canopy of the glider came open in flight. During landing, the aircraft entered a spin and impacted the ground.

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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