Burkhart Grob G-103A accident near Little River, South Carolina, June 26, 1986
On June 26, 1986 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G-103A (glider), registered N302BG, was destroyed in an accident near Little River, South Carolina (Cypress Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1986 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Little River, South Carolina · Cypress Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G-103A · all G-103As on the register
- Registration
- N302BG · registry record · serial 34019-K-251
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE GLIDER WAS VIOLENTLY ROLLED INTO A 90 LEFT BANK BY STRONG CROSSWINDS AT ABOUT 250 FT AGL, WHILE IT WAS BEING TOWED ALOFT. THE PLT'S COCKPIT CANOPY CAME OPEN, AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE AND SECURE IT. THE CANOPY CAME OPEN AGAIN BEFORE THE PLT WAS ABLE TO SECURE IT CLOSED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE TOW PLANE WHILE SECURING THE CANOPY AND THAT HE SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASED THE TOW LINE. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER RELEASE THE GLIDER WAS AT ABOUT 80 FT AGL IN A STALLED CONDITION FROM WHICH HE COULD NOT RECOVER. THE GLIDER THEN IMPACTED TREES, TURNED 180 DEGREES AND FELL TO THE GROUND UPRIGHT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 87 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Carolina Sailplanes,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,900 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CRE, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.