N858BG

On July 17, 2004, at 1430 central daylight time, a Burkhart Grob G-103A Twin II Acro glider, N858BG, was substantially damaged upon collision with another aircraft while waiting to be towed on runway 31 at the Caddo Mills Municipal Airport (7F3), near Caddo Mills, Texas. The glider was owned by a private individual and was being operated by Southwest Soaring, Inc., of Caddo Mills, Texas. The flight instructor and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the anticipated 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 soaring flight. The local flight had not initiated at the time of the accident.

According to the flight instructor conducting the glider flight, the glider had been positioned on the right side of the runway 31 (a 4,000-foot long and 150-foot wide concrete runway) waiting for the tow-plane to land and line up in front for the scheduled soaring flight. The flight instructor added that he was standing on the left side of the glider explaining to the passenger strapped to the front seat how the flight was to be conducted. While standing, the flight instructor heard someone shout, and he looked up.

The flight instructor reported that he observed the tow plane that had just landed on the left side of the runway, veering straight for the glider. To avoid being hit, he jumped over the fuselage of the glider, escaping injuries.

The pilot of the Cessna 305 (vintage military L-19), N5255G, reported he landed on the left side of runway 31 due to a glider on the right side of the runway. During the landing roll, at an approximate speed of 20 miles per hour (mph), the airplane was within 200 feet of the glider the pilot "began a slight turn to the right to position the tow plane in front of the glider." The pilot stated that as he "applied left rudder to adjust the turn radius, there was little or no response." Subsequently, the airplane veered to the left and to the right and collided with the glider.

Examination of the Cessna 305 revealed that the left main landing strut fractured due to fatigue, causing the main wheel assembly to separate from the steel landing gear strut. Damage to fuselage and wings of the Cessna was minor.

Examination of the glider revealed structural damage to the left wing and left aileron.