Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO accident near Midlothian, Texas, June 21, 2025
On June 21, 2025 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 1985 Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO (glider), registered N852BG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Midlothian, Texas (Mid-Way Regional 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 student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2025 · about 10:15 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Midlothian, Texas · Mid-Way Regional Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO, built 1985 · all G-103A TWIN II ACROs on the register
- Registration
- N852BG · registry record · serial 34014-K-247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during the landing flare, the glider experienced a sudden loss of lift. The glider landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage of the glider. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence, private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 393 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 285 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 20, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,278 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KJWY
Weather report (METAR): KJWY 212155Z AUTO 19016KT 9SM CLR 33/22 A2998 RMK AO2 T03320218 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 17, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N852BG on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Burkhart Grob G-103 71 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Burkhart Grob 99 aircraft on the register
- Mid-Way Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,064 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,966 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN25LA227.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.