Burkhart Grob G-103A TWI accident near Clermont, Florida, September 17, 2009
On September 17, 2009 at about 2:25 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G-103A TWI (glider), registered N308BG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Clermont, Florida (Seminole Lake 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
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action resulting in an off-airfield landing and ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2009 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Clermont, Florida · Seminole Lake 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-103A TWI · all G-103A TWIs on the register
- Registration
- N308BG · registry record · serial 34033-K-265
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor and his student were on approach, in a glider. The student was attempting to make a no-airbrake landing. While on approach, the student was using a forward slip to correct the altitude. The instructor reported that his student’s aggressive control inputs made the aircraft too slow and too low to reach the airfield. The instructor took over the controls and decided to make an off-field landing. While landing, the glider’s right wing impacted tall grass. The flight instructor reported that the aircraft ground looped to the right causing substantial damage to the rudder and empennage. Neither the flight instructor nor the student reported any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,310 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 175 in the last 30 days; 4,804 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 29, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,885 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 12,499 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Seminole Flying & Soaring INC
The flight
- Departed from: 6FL0 Clermont FL
- Destination: 6FL0 Clermont FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KGIF, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.