Burkhart Grob G-103 TWIN ASTIR accident near New Douglas, Illinois, September 4, 1993
On September 4, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G-103 TWIN ASTIR (glider), registered N153SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Douglas, Illinois (Silvercreek Gliderport 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
FAILURE OF THE GLIDER TOW ATTACHMENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY THE STUDENT, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Douglas, Illinois · Silvercreek Gliderport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G-103 TWIN ASTIR G-103 TWIN · all G-103 TWIN ASTIRs on the register
- Registration
- N153SS · no longer on the register · serial 3094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL GLIDER FLIGHT WAS BEING WINCH LAUNCHED. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THERE WAS AN APPARENT CABLE BREAK, WHEN THE GLIDER WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AGL. THE STUDENT PILOT INITIALLY LOWERED THE NOSE, THEN RETURNED TO A CLIMB ATTITUDE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE GLIDER, AND INITIATED A LANDING. THE LANDING WAS HARD AND THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE DOUBLE RING ON THE GLIDER TOW ATTACHMENT POINT WAS FOUND SEPARATED.
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: 1,679 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,676 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 208 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1992; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Silvercreek Aviation, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 4:30 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 4:30 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N153SS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.