Burkhart Grob G-103 accident near Liano, California, August 10, 1990
On August 10, 1990 at about 7:21 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G-103 (glider), registered N4426B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liano, California (Crystal airport). It was an instructional 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 PILOT'S INFLIGHT DECISION WAS IMPROPER. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1990 · about 7:21 pm local time
- Place
- Liano, California · Crystal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G-103 · all G-103s on the register
- Registration
- N4426B · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC WAS COMPLETING THE THIRD AND FINAL FLIGHT OF A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S FLIGHT TEST. BEFORE THE FLT THE FAA INSPECTOR BRIEFED THE APPLICANT THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD ENTAIL A SIMULATED EMERGENCY TOW ROPE BREAK. AT 280 FT AGL THE INSPECTOR DISENGAGED THE TOW ROPE AND THE APPLICANT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A LEFT 180 DEG TURN FOLLOWED BY A RIGHT DESCENDING NOSE DOWN TURN. THIS MANEUVER CAUSED THE GLIDER TO LOSE EXCESSIVE ALTITUDE AND THE PIC WAS FORCED TO LAND IN THE OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT THE GLIDER STRUCK A LARGE BOULDER, SHRUB TREE AND A BARBED WIRE FENCE. THE APPLICANT STATED THAT HE DIDN'T THINK THE GLIDER'S ALTITUDE WAS SUFFICIENT TO CLEAR SOME WIRES AT THE END OF THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY BUT LATER CALCULATED THAT THE GLIDE RATIO WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT TO NEGOTIATE THE AIRPORT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS UNDER EXTREME SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE DUE TO THE FLIGHT TEST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 122 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:57 pm from PMD, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.