Burkhart Grob 103A accident near Peoria, Arizona, May 2, 1997
On May 2, 1997 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob 103A (glider), registered N931BG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peoria, Arizona (Pleasant Valley 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
failure of the student pilot to maintain proper runway alignment and wing tip clearance from high vegetation beside the runway during landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. High vegetation on the runway shoulder was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1997 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Arizona · Pleasant Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob 103A
- Registration
- N931BG · registry record · serial 34054-K-284
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a landing, the glider collided with high vegetation on the left side of the runway after the student pilot allowed it to touchdown left of the runway centerline. The left wing tip dragged in the vegetation, and the glider ground looped to the left. The instructor stated that he was overconfident in the student's ability and did not anticipate his actions. The runway was 4,000 feet long and 75 feet wide. The wing span of the glider was about 57 feet.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 907 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 852 as pilot in command; 532 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,238 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 1997; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AZ05
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23C, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 28.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from DVT, 11 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.