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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

December 4, 1994 · Burkhart Grob 103A · N858BG

Blairstown, NJ

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 4, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Aircraft
Burkhart Grob 103A
Tail Number
N858BG
Operator
Eastern Mountain Soaring
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
NYC95LA040

THE GLIDER PILOT ENTERED THE DOWNWIND, WITH HIS ALTITUDE ABOUT 100 FT BELOW HIS DESIRED ALTITUDE. ON FINAL, HE ENCOUNTERED SOME LIFT AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE THE DESCENT. THE LIFT ALSO CAUSED THE GLIDER TO BECOME MISALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM THE REAR SEAT WITH A PILOT RATED PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. HE HAD DIFFICULTY IN SEEING THE RUNWAY DUE TO THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. DURING THE REALIGNMENT, THE GLIDER STARTED TO SINK AND BY THE TIME THE PILOT REALIZED THIS, THE GLIDER WAS TOO LOW TO REACH THE RUNWAY. THE GLIDER BOUNCED OFF A SMALL RISE PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING THEN STRUCK A SMALL TREE AND THE GLIDER TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, WITH THE NOSE APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREE LEFT.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain the proper descent rate.

Full Narrative

On December 3, 1994, at 1352 eastern standard time, a Grob 103A glider, N858BG, operated by Eastern Mountain Soaring of Blairstown, New Jersey, struck trees while on approach to land at Blairstown Airport. The glider received substantial damage. The two occupants were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported this was the second flight of the day. Upon return to the airport, the glider encountered lift on final approach and initially, the glider was high. He had difficulity in getting realigned with the runway due to reduced visibility from a front seat passenger. While he concentrated on his runway lineup, the altitude decreased until the glider was too low to reach the runway. The glider fuselage wheel fuselage wheel struck the top of a hill and then the left wing struck a tree about 3 feet inboard from the tip. The glider yawed nose left and came to rest. The fuselage, aft of the cabin was bent and the left wing was damaged. The pilot reported he had a total time of 120 hours, and 59 hours in the Grob 103. He had a flight review in the first part of October and had not flown since the flight review.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:52 EST
Nearest AirportBlairstown (0nm)
Runway25
Runway Length3100 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBurkhart Grob 103A
Tail NumberN858BG
Aircraft CategoryGli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorEastern Mountain Soaring
Operating RulePart 91
Engine TypeUnknown
Engine DetailsUnknown
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 41 · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind220° @ 5 kt, gusting 10 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point61 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data