- Date
- December 7, 2013, 16:30 local (Dec 8, 2013, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bryon, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N3981CBurkhart Grob G 103 Twin II
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20131208025259I
- Case key
- 88532
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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate wing clearance from a runway sign while taxiing.
Findings · 3
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
The student pilot reported that during landing the glider touched down slightly left of the runway centerline. He engaged the brakes and steered the glider towards the right side of the runway to prepare for a turn. When he approached the taxiway entrance, he released the brakes and started to turn to the left. During the turn the left wing struck a runway sign; the airplane made a sharp left turn, exited the runway surface and came to rest on the grass. During the accident sequence, the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that during landing the glider touched down slightly left of the runway centerline. He engaged the brakes and steered the glider towards the right side of the runway to prepare for a turn. When he approached the taxiway entrance, he released the brakes and started to turn to the left. During the turn the left wing struck a runway sign; the airplane made a sharp left turn, exited the runway surface and came to rest on the grass. During the accident sequence, the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3981C
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob G 103 Twin II
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 3807
- Built
- 1983
- Airframe hours
- 6,099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Northern California Soaring Association
- Registered owner
- Northern California Soaring Association
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 21, 2013
- Departed
- C83 · Bryon, CA
- Destination
- C83 · Bryon, CA
- Airport
- C83 · Byron Airport, runway 30R, 4,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 7, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5 total · 5 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- LVK, 12 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.