# NTSB WPR12CA134: Burkhart Grob G-103A Twin II Acro, N103SH, Dillingham, HI, February 20, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 20, 2012, 08:05 local (18:05 UTC) - Place: Dillingham, HI - Coordinates: 21.57361, -158.19139 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.5736&lon=-158.1914&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 15, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Honolulu FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83128 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12CA134 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83128/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83128 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA134 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=1660206), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1660206), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1660206), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=1660206), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1660206), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the landing sequence, the student pilot pushed the control stick of the glider forward just before touchdown. This action resulted in the glider landing hard and bouncing about one foot back into the air. The student pilot then forced the glider onto the runway a second time, after which it bounced about five feet back into the air. In trying to recover from the second bounce, the student pilot forced the glider onto the runway a third time. When the glider again bounced back into the air, it pitched up to a degree such that the aft end of the fuselage contacted the asphalt runway. The student pilot then leveled the glider and allowed it to descend to the runway surface in a near level attitude. Both the composite tail boom and the composite vertical fin were cracked. ## Factual narrative During the landing sequence, the student pilot pushed the control stick of the glider forward just before touchdown. This action resulted in the glider landing hard and bouncing about one foot back into the air. The student pilot then forced the glider onto the runway a second time, after which it bounced about five feet back into the air. In trying to recover from the second bounce, the student pilot forced the glider onto the runway a third time. When the glider again bounced back into the air, it pitched up to a degree that resulted in the aft end of the fuselage coming in contact with the asphalt runway. The student pilot then leveled the glider off and allowed it to descend to the runway surface in a near level attitude. It was later determined that both the composite tail boom and the composite vertical fin were cracked. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N103SH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N103SH), registered now, S/N 34051-K-281, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BURKHART GROB G-103A TWIN II ACRO - Registry model: [Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO](https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-g-103a-twin-ii-acro) (registry code 1660206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 34051-K-281 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Hana Hou Air LLC, doing business as Hawaii Glider School - Registered owner: Hana Hou Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: PHDH, Dillingham, HI - Destination: PHDH, Dillingham, HI - Airport: PHDH, Dillingham Airport, runway 08, 9,007 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 21; injuries: none; student; seat: front; flight hours: 27 total, 10 in this make and model, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °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 20120220003339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120220003339A), Feb 20, 2012: Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, Mokule'Ia, HI, Substantial damage. The student pilot approached to land with excessive airspeed and made an attempt to force the aircraft to land before the speed was appropriately reduced. As a… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 13, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83128. 624 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 624 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.