Burkhart Grob 103 accident near Fremont, California, February 1, 1986
On February 1, 1986 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob 103 (glider), registered N102BK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fremont, California (Sky Sailing airport). It was a personal 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 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
- February 1, 1986 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fremont, California · Sky Sailing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob 103
- Registration
- N102BK · no longer on the register · serial 33953-K-186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FEBRUARY 1, 1986 AT ABOUT 1045 PST A GROB 103 GLIDER, N103BK, GROUND LOOPED IN MUD FOLLOWING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF AT SKY SAILING AIRPORT, FREEMONT CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF BECAUSE IT APPEARED THE TOW AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CLIMBING NORMALLY. THE TOW OPERATION WAS CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARD PROCEDURES WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE THE GLIDER PILOT TO COORDINATE WITH THE TOW AIRCRAFT PILOT PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. AFTER THE GLIDER RELEASED, IT DROPPED 18 INCHES TO THE GROUND, VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 430 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 1,840 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N102BK 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.