# NTSB WPR24LA274: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir, N125CC, Minden, NV, August 9, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 9, 2024, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Minden, NV
- Coordinates: 38.991506, -119.62934 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9915&lon=-119.6293&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194914
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA274
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194914/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194914
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA274

## Probable cause

The glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight and a subsequent collision with an obstacle during an off-field landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=1660202), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md)
- [Temp/humidity/pressure: thermal lifting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040/cases.md?model=1660202), [All aircraft, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=1660202), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=1660202), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1660202), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The glider was launched by aerotow and released about 5 miles from the departure airport. After climbing to about 10,400 ft msl, the pilot flew the glider towards an adjacent peak, however while enroute the glider encountered sink and descended. Rather than fly back towards the sinking air, the pilot began to track towards another peak in anticipation of finding lifting air, in an area where he had been successful in the past. However, the glider continued to descend so he turned back towards the departure airport. The headwinds were significant, and by the time the glider had sunk to 1,000 ft above ground level, the airport was no longer in site, so he elected to perform an off-field landing on a dirt road. During the landing roll the left wing struck a raised rock, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N125CC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N125CC), registered now, S/N 3710, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BURKHART GROB FLUGZEUGBAU G103 TWIN ASTIR
- Registry model: [Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR](https://openairdocs.org/model/burkhart-grob-flugzeugbau-g103-twin-astir) (registry code 1660202) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 3710
- Year built: 1982
- Airframe hours: 4216.3
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Silverado Soaring Inc
- Registered owner: Silverado Soaring Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Other
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 23, 2024, 3 hours before
- Departed: MEV, Minden, NV
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: MEV, Minden-Tahoe

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 2, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 112 total, 30 in this make and model, 51 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 44 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: KMEV, 6 nm away
- METAR: METAR KMEV 091955Z AUTO 31006KT 10SM CLR 33/03 A3010 RMK AO2=

## 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 20240809009359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240809009359A), Aug 9, 2024: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, Minden, NV, Substantial damage. Arrived at kmev around 10:30AM to pre-flight the glider and everything was okay with the preflight so had the glider towed to the staging area and launched…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 27, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194914. 3.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17808657&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_6120.1%20Pilot_Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident_Incident%20Report%20-%206120_1web_Reader_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 869 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17807997&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.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.

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