Burkhart Grob 102 accident near Tehachapi, California, March 5, 1986
On March 5, 1986 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob 102 (glider), registered N102JC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tehachapi, California (Fantasy Haven 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 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
- March 5, 1986 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Tehachapi, California · Fantasy Haven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob 102
- Registration
- N102JC · registry record · serial 5623CB
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GROB 102 GLIDER COLLIDED WITH TREES 6 MI S OF THE APT. THE PLT WAS SOARING 2 MI S OF THE APT AT 5900 FT MSL AND 6200 FT MSL IN 'WEAK LIFT.' HE ELECTED TO FLY FURTHER S IN THE VIC OF A RIDGELINE WITH AN ELEV APPROX 6000 FT MSL. AGAIN THE PLT EXPERIENCED 'WEAK LIFT' COND THE PLT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN BETWEEN 5900 FT MSL AND 6100 FT MSL AND KEEP OPEN FIELDS WITHIN GLIDING DIST. THE PLT HAD MADE SEVERAL PASSES IN THE VIC OF THE RIDGELINE. ON THE 3RD PASS A STRONG DOWNDRAFT AND THE ACFT LOST 125 FT OF ALT AND 15 KTS OF A/S. THE PLT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE OPEN FIELDS. THE PLT FLT LOG INDICATED HE HAD FLOWN FROM THE APT NINE TIMES SINCE OCT 1984 ONCE IN THE PREVIOUS 90 DAYS. HRLY WX RPTS BY FSS LOC 30 MI S OF APT WINDS 240 DEG AT 6 KTS 20 MIN PRIOR TO THE ACC AND CALM WINDS 40 MIN AFTER THE ACC. THE PLT IND THAT HE OBTAINED HIS WX FROM A PLT OBS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND NO FAA WX RPT OR BRIEFINGS WERE OBTAINED.
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: 765 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 725 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 136 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 1985; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 616 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L94 Tehachapi CA at 9:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from WJF, 26 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.
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.