Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS accident near Unionville, Pennsylvania, July 14, 2007
On July 14, 2007 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS (glider), registered N775SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Unionville, Pennsylvania (Ridge Soaring Gliderport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2007 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Unionville, Pennsylvania · Ridge Soaring Gliderport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G102 ASTIR CS · all G102 ASTIR CSs on the register
- Registration
- N775SS · registry record · serial 1353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been flying in a glider for nearly an hour. Upon entering the traffic pattern for landing, he announced his intentions over the radio. Witnesses went outside and observed the glider on downwind; thereafter, it turned onto base. While on base, the nose of the glider pitched down suddenly, near vertical, and then disappeared into the forest. The glider collided with trees, the cockpit section was ripped open, and the glider remained suspended in the trees. The pilot remained in the wreckage suspended in the trees. The pilot complained about having trouble breathing and apologized for damaging the glider. The witness stated that, before his death, the pilot said "I don't know why I did that." Flight control continuity was established and no discrepancies with the glider were noted during examination of the wreckage.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,814 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 24, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 963 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2007; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 990 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 79N Unionville FL at 8:45 pm
- Destination: 79N Unionville PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 190°F (88°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from UNV, 4 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA07LA121.