Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's improper flare, and his failure to recover from the subsequent bounced landing. Contributing factors include the sudden wind shift and the tail wind.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
On June 8, 2003, at 1600 mountain daylight time, a Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III glider, N850BG, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Moriarty Airport (0E0), Moriarty, New Mexico. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant on board, received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Moriarty, at approximately 1530.
One witness stated that, as the glider approached the runway it "stalled." The glider's left wing "dipped," and the glider "dropped." When the glider struck the approach end of the runway, it "broke apart," and slid approximately 70 feet.
According to the pilot's statement, after completing a left hand turn from base to final for runway 26, he felt a sudden wind shift and noticed a groundspeed increase of approximately 5 to 10 knots. The glider landed hard, and bounced into the air about 10 feet above the runway. The glider stalled, and struck the runway in a nose down attitude. Both wings collapsed and the fuselage was separated from the empennage. The pilot sustained serious back injuries. The pilot also stated that the winds were westerly at 10 to 12 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DEN03LA100