Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico, February 9, 2008
On February 9, 2008 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO (glider), registered N223WP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Alamogordo, New Mexico (Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona airport). It was a personal 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 unsuitable terrain for landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's encounter with turbulence and the loss of visual contact with the tow plane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2008 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Alamogordo, New Mexico · Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G-103A TWIN II ACRO · all G-103A TWIN II ACROs on the register
- Registration
- N223WP · registry record · serial 3735
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider encountered turbulence at approximately 200 feet above ground level. The glider gained altitude such that the pilot lost sight of the tow plane. The pilot decided to release the glider and attempt a right turn back to the airport to land. He stated, "the altitude was too low to complete the turn, so I leveled the wings and landed the glider off-field." Upon landing, the left wing contacted the terrain and the glider ground looped, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer.
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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 631 hours in all; 631 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.