Burkhart Grob G103A accident near Boulder, Colorado, April 2, 1988
On April 2, 1988 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G103A (glider), registered N788G, was destroyed in an accident near Boulder, Colorado. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1988 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G103A · all G103As on the register
- Registration
- N788G · registry record · serial 33988-K-221
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 663 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 601 as pilot in command; 242 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,987 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1988; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from BJC, 10 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.
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.