Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the student pilot's failure to recover from a porpoise/pilot induced oscillation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 3, 2006, at 1213 Pacific daylight time, a Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir glider, N4464P, landed hard on the runway at Crystal Airport, Llano, California. Great Western Soaring School, Inc., was operating the glider under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The glider sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local area instructional flight.
The student pilot stated that as he entered onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, the glider began a pilot induced oscillation. When the glider touched down hard upon the runway, the empennage separated. There were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider during the flight.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX06CA189