Burkhart Grob G-103A accident near Mt. Airy, North Carolina, July 5, 1987
On July 5, 1987 at about 6:56 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G-103A (glider), registered N930BG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Airy, North Carolina (Mt. Airy-Surray County airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 5, 1987 · about 6:56 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Airy, North Carolina · Mt. Airy-Surray County · 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
- N930BG · registry record · serial 34053-K-283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY WITH THE STUDENT. THEY HAD RELEASED FROM AN AIR TOW AT 1,500 FEET AGL. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS DEMONSTRATING GLIDE SLOPE CONTROL FOR BEST FINAL GLIDE. WHEN THE SAILPLANE WAS ABOUT 1,000 FEET AGL AND ONE MILE NW OF THE AIRPORT HE TURNED TOWARD THE RUNWAY AND NOTED A SINK RATE OF ABOUT 8 KNOTS. HE INCREASED SPEED AND THE SINK RATE WENT TO 10 KNOTS. THESE SINK RATES TRANSLATE TO ABOUT 810 AND 1013 FEET PER MINUTE, RESPECTIVELY. THIS WOULD HAVE PERMITTED THE SAILPLANE TO COVER A MAXIMUM DISTANCE OF 1 1/2 MILES. TWO SETS OF POWERLINESAND A CHAIN LINK FENCE WERE BETWEEN THE SAILPLANE AND THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE FENCE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,347 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 3,239 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 273 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 1987; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.