Grob G103 accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, July 9, 2005
On July 9, 2005 at about 6:47 pm local time, a Grob G103 (glider), registered N916G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moriarty, New Mexico (Moriarty Airport). It was a glider-towing 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
the glider pilot's intentional tow release at too low an altitude when he erroneously perceived the tow plane was about to crash. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain on which to make a landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2005 · about 6:47 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarty, New Mexico · Moriarty Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grob G103
- Registration
- N916G · registry record · serial 3753
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tow plane pilot said that the winds were 5 to 15 knots "from the west or northwest" and that "25 knot gusts were not uncommon." During the takeoff roll, he saw an "extreme dust devil right in front [of the airplane]" and "paper-sized pieces of cardboard spinning sharply." He momentarily lost control of the tow plane, then noticed the glider was no longer in tow. He flew an abbreviated traffic pattern and landed. It was then that he noticed his propeller had sustained a ground strike. The glider pilot said that after an uneventful aero tow, the tow plane started "pulling up and then touched back down." He said the "left wing [was] low and [the] tail high and right.." He then saw a "puff of smoke" and "couldn't tell if the tow plane had crashed, or was about to crash." He elected to release and perform an emergency landing from an altitude of 75 to 100 feet. After turning 90 degrees to the right, the glider was "close to the ground" so the pilot "leveled the wings and tried to flare." The glider impacted terrain and ground looped, causing substantial damage. Both pilots agreed that the "puff of smoke" seen by the glider pilot was actually dust thrown in the air during the tow plane's propeller strike.
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: 335 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 308 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,846 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0E0 Moriarty NM
- Destination: 0E0 Moriarty NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 260, 7,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from CQC, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N916G 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.