Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, June 8, 2003
On June 8, 2003 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III (glider), registered N850BG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moriarty, New Mexico (Moriarty airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare, and his failure to recover from the subsequent bounced landing. Contributing factors include the sudden wind shift and the tail wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2003 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarty, New Mexico · Moriarty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G102 Standard III
- Registration
- N850BG · registry record · serial 56385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing a left hand turn from base to final for runway 26, the pilot felt a sudden wind shift and noticed a groundspeed increase of approximately 5 to 10 knots. The glider landed hard, bounced into the air about 10 feet above the runway, and stalled. It struck the runway in a nose down attitude collapsing both wings, and separating the fuselage from the empennage.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,496 hours in all; 530 in this make and model; 2,343 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 705.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 2002; 11.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 0E0 Moriarty NM at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 0E0 Moriarty NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 125 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.