Burkhart Grob G102-111B accident near Memphis, Tennessee, July 11, 1987
On July 11, 1987 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G102-111B (glider), registered N3950L, was destroyed in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 11, 1987 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G102-111B
- Registration
- N3950L · no longer on the register · serial 5598CB
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GLIDER TOW ROPE RELEASED AT ABOUT 200FT FOLLOWING T/O. GLIDER MADE RT TURN FOLLOWED BY STALL/SPIRAL WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. TOW PILOT SAW GLIDER PILOT'S HAT FALLING TO GROUND JUST AFTER TOW ROPE WAS RELEASED BY GLIDER PILOT. GLIDER CANOPY WAS FOUND UNLATCHED DURING EXAMINATION OF THE GLIDER WRECKAGE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 530 hours in all; 220 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 25, 1987; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 838 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from MEM, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.