Scheibe Flugzeugbau SF-27M accident near Grove City, Pennsylvania, July 8, 1984
On July 8, 1984 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Scheibe Flugzeugbau SF-27M (glider), registered N100LH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grove City, Pennsylvania (Grove City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- July 8, 1984 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grove City, Pennsylvania · Grove City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Scheibe Flugzeugbau SF-27M
- Registration
- N100LH · no longer on the register · serial 6322
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MOTORGLIDER LOST POWER AFTER TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE PLT THE TAKEOFF SEEMED LONG BUT HE DID NOT ABORT BECAUSE THISWAS HIS FIRST SELF-LAUNCH AND HE WAS UNSURE OF THE OPERATION. ABOUT 200 FT AGL A TURN WAS MADE TO THE EAST TO RETURN TO THE ARPT AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. MANIPULATION OF THE THROTTLE RESTORED SMOOTH OPERATION BUT SUBSEQUENTLY AS THEACFT LOST ALT THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED AND THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD RESULTED IN A GROUND LOOP.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 220 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 48 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 1984; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 684 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hirth FLOA1A (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grove City PA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- 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.