Burkhart Grob G109B accident near Tehachapi, California, January 9, 1988
On January 9, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G109B (glider), registered N109MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tehachapi, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- January 9, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tehachapi, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G109B · all G109Bs on the register
- Registration
- N109MD · registry record · serial 6353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER USED THE MOTORGLIDER'S POWERPLANT TO TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO A MOUNTAIN RIDGE TO SOAR. UPON REACHING THE RIDGE TOP THE PILOT SHUT OFF THE POWERPLANT AND ENTERED SOARING FLIGHT. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE MOTORGLIDER DESCENDED INTO TREES AND THEN IMPACTED THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. HE SAID THAT THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE POWERPLANT BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE TREES. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS ON THE PILOTS BLOOD AND URINE WERE CONDUCTED. THEY REVEALED 0.9 MCG/ML OF BROMPHENIRAMINE IN HIS URINE AND LOW CONCENTRATIONS OF PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE AND 6.0 MG/ML OF MARIJUANA METABOLITES IN HIS BLOOD. IN ADDITION, 62.0 MG/ML OF MARIJUANA METABOLITES WERE DETECTED IN HIS URINE.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 22,153 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 9,806 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1987; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,879 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Grob 2500E1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TSP Tehachapi CA at 9:37 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 85 statute miles
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N109MD 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.