Burkhart Grob 103C accident near San Antonio, Texas, August 28, 1999
On August 28, 1999 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob 103C (glider), registered N103MS, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Texas (Boerne Stage Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain proper runway alignment of the glider resulting in failure to maintain obstacle clearance. A factor was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1999 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · Boerne Stage Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob 103C
- Registration
- N103MS · registry record · serial 34-756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The wing of the glider struck a tree when the solo student pilot was correcting the flight path to align the glider with the runway centerline during the final approach. The density altitude was calculated at 4,215 feet. The student pilot had 15.2 hours of total flight time in gliders. He was endorsed for solo flight and had 2.4 hours of solo flight time in the glider. The operator reported that the accident could have been prevented by 'maintain[ing] adequate clearance over obstacles.'
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: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,049 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1999; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,323 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5C1 at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from SAT, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N103MS 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.