Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS accident near Wallis, Texas, October 11, 2025
On October 11, 2025 at about 9:17 pm local time, a 1976 Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS (glider), registered N137SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wallis, Texas (Ghsa-Wallis Glideport 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 failure to maintain control during landing roll that resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 2025 · about 9:17 pm local time
- Place
- Wallis, Texas · Ghsa-Wallis Glideport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS, built 1976 · all G102 ASTIR CSs on the register
- Registration
- N137SS · registry record · serial 1348
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he intended to land long on the runway and stop at the north end of airport, between a plowed field and a hangar. He stated that there was a right crosswind, which was within the maximum crosswind capability of the glider. During landing and about 10 feet or less above the runway, the pilot closed the air brakes and allowed ground effect to enable the glider to reach the planned touchdown point. During landing rollout, he made use of minimal speed brakes to keep the glider rolling. As the glider approached the plowed field, he applied left rudder and inadvertently lowered the left wing. Within a few seconds, the glider made a sharp left turn, which the pilot could not remediate with corrective control input. The glider sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings. There were no mechanical anomalies with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by keeping the wings level during landing rollout and by not extending the ground roll into area of the plowed field and hangar.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 72 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 22, 2023
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,606.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 836 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 125 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from TME, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2026. 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 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA018.