Burkhart Grob SPEED ASTIR II accident near Chester, Vermont, July 4, 1993
On July 4, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob SPEED ASTIR II (glider), registered N164SS, was destroyed in an accident near Chester, Vermont (Hartness State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND AN IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chester, Vermont · Hartness State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob SPEED ASTIR II SPEED ASTI
- Registration
- N164SS · no longer on the register · serial 4020
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AFTER A LOCAL SOARING FLIGHT. HE ENCOUNTERED A 'SUDDEN HEAVY SINK' AND IMPACTED TREES NEAR A FIELD LOCATED ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE AIRPORT.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 251 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 220 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1992; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,135 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VSF Springfield VT at 4:00 pm
- Destination: VSF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from LEB, 30 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.