Burkhart Grob G102 accident near Mesquite, Nevada, June 16, 1996
On June 16, 1996, a Burkhart Grob G102 (glider), registered N154SS, was destroyed in an accident near Mesquite, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in his being forced to land in an area with unsuitable terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of available (thermal) lift, downdraft(s), and the resultant lack of suitable terrain for an off-airport (emergency) landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1996
- Place
- Mesquite, Nevada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G102
- Registration
- N154SS · no longer on the register · serial 1725
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and 11 other glider pilots planned to fly nonstop on a 500 kilometer flight from their point of departure, after an aero tow to 7,000 feet mean sea level. No communication difficulties or control problems were reported during periodic radio contacts between the glider pilot and the ground crew. En route, some of the glider pilots experienced turbulence and occasional downdrafts. Subsequently, the glider collided with rough terrain near a ridge line. There were no witnesses to the accident. The pilot's son indicated that his father was apparently unable to locate sufficient lift to continue his flight for an additional 11 miles to the destination airport.
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: 2,545 hours in all; 2,019 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 2,515 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,019 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1996; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L01 Llano CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 67L NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.