Burkhart Grob Luft Und Raumfah G103 TWIN ASTIR TRAI accident near Brownsboro, Alabama, November 26, 2025
On November 26, 2025 at about 8:55 pm local time, a 1978 Burkhart Grob Luft Und Raumfah G103 TWIN ASTIR TRAI (glider), registered N103T, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Brownsboro, Alabama (Moontown 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 failure to properly lock the rear canopy prior to flight, which led to the canopy opening during aerotow at low altitude, and a subsequent off-airport landing in a corn field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2025 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsboro, Alabama · Moontown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob Luft Und Raumfah G103 TWIN ASTIR TRAI, built 1978
- Registration
- N103T · registry record · serial 3144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot of the glider were under aerotow. The flight instructor reported that very early during the takeoff, the rear canopy opened. Sitting in the rear seat and controlling the glider, the flight instructor could not close the canopy in flight and believed that continuing the tow was a higher risk than releasing and landing straight ahead. When the glider was near treetop level, the flight instructor released the tow and elected to land in a harvested corn field directly off the end of the runway. Upon touchdown, corn stalks built up in front of the glider’s main wheel, bringing the glider to an abrupt stop upright and pivoting it 180º from the direction of landing, and resulting in substantial damage to the aft fuselage. The flight instructor reported that it was likely that he did not properly close and lock the rear canopy, and that the glider had no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Glider tow event during takeoff
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Ground handling event during prior to flight defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Instructor/check pilot
Dual student
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,079 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 952 as pilot in command; 85 on instruments
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,435 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: N/A (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from MDQ, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMDQ 262055Z AUTO 31015KT 10SM CLR 13/M08 A3019 RMK A02 T01261076=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 14, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA085.