Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 Astir CS accident near Truckee, California, July 7, 2007
On July 7, 2007 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 Astir CS (glider), registered N132SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for a wind gust during landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2007 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 Astir CS · all G102 Astir CSs on the register
- Registration
- N132SS · registry record · serial 1286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider sustained damage during a hard landing. A wind gust was encountered during the glider pilot's landing flare and the glider rapidly descended from 2 to 3 feet above the runway until touching down hard, collapsing the main landing gear and breaking structural bulkheads in the fuselage. The pilot's approach to the runway had been uneventful and appeared normal until the landing flare, according to a certified flight instructor who witnessed the accident.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 183 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from TRK
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.
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 LAX07CA223.