N153SS – Burkhart Grob G-103 TWIN ASTIR – 1993-09-04 NTSB Accident Report

On September 04, 1993, a Burkhart Grob G-103 TWIN ASTIR (N153SS) was involved in an incident near New Douglas, IL. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: FAILURE OF THE GLIDER TOW ATTACHMENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY THE STUDENT, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION..

On September 4, 1993, at 1130 central daylight time, a Grob G-103, N153SS, sustained substantial damage in a hard landing following a cable break during a winch launch at the Silvercreek Gliderport, New Douglas, Illinois. Neither the certified flight instructor, nor the student pilot were injured. No flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

The instructor reported the student was at the controls for the launch. He stated there was an apparent "cable break" about 20 feet AGL. Initially, the student lowered the nose, then tried to re-establish the climb angle. The instructor stated he took the controls at this point and moved the stick forward.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI93LA353. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N153SS.