Grob G103 TWIN ASTIR N27TA
14 July 2003 · Morgan, Utah, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 14 July 2003 at about 22:50 local time, a Grob G103 TWIN ASTIR registered N27TA was involved in an accident near Morgan, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Morgan, Utah, United States
- Coordinates
- 41.0186, -111.6519
- Aircraft
- Grob G103 TWIN ASTIR
- Registration
- N27TA
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Morgan → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN03LA128
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision to fly low over a mountain ridge. Contributing factors included the wind shear, altitude/clearance, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The two glider pilots were returning to their point of departure (a high mountain airport). The lift on the return track had deteriorated, and they decided to do an off field landing. The two pilots identified a field for a landing, but then encountered some ridge lift. They continued flying, but the new found lift again deteriorated. They reversed course towards their initial off airport landing site. After reversing course, the glider experienced "a straight level shear," the airspeed dropped from 60 knots to 40 to 42 knots. The left wing dropped approximately 20 degrees, the nose dropped and the plane rotated to the left. This positioned the glider towards the mountain slope and "head on." The rear seat pilot (pilot in command) took control of the glider at this time. The glider impacted a ridge, crushing the composite nose into the front cockpit. The front seat pilot (second pilot), died in the hospital the following morning.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Grob G103 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jul 2005 | Grob G103 | Moriarty, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 2009 | Grob G103 | Wellington, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Sep 2018 | Grob G103 TWIN ASTIR | Groveland, Florida, United States | Seminole Flying & Soaring Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 2019 | Grob G103 | Brandon, Mississippi, United States | Central MS Soaring Society Llc | Fatal | 1 |
| 22 Aug 2019 | Grob G103 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | San Antonio Soaring Society Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 2003 | Yakovlev YAK 52 | Midway, Utah, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 13 Jun 2003 | Diamond DA 20-A1 | Eureka, Utah, United States | Nathan L. Bennett | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 Oct 2003 | Elliott MUSTANG II | Cedar City, Utah, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Mar 2003 | Panzl PAN | Vernal, Utah, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 2003 | Cessna 180 | Ogden, Utah, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 2003 | Stinson 108-3 | Vernal, Utah, United States | - | No injuries | - |