Burkhart Grob G109B accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, March 25, 1994
On March 25, 1994 at about 2:33 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G109B (glider), registered N403DW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashua, New Hampshire (Boire Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE MOTOR-GLIDER COLLIDING WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1994 · about 2:33 pm local time
- Place
- Nashua, New Hampshire · Boire Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G109B · all G109Bs on the register
- Registration
- N403DW · no longer on the register · serial 6304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS A TRAINING FLIGHT WITH A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND A RATED STUDENT PILOT (RSP), IN A MOTOR-GLIDER. THE CFI HAD INFORMED THE TOWER CONTROLLERS THAT HE PLANNED TO PRACTICE A SIMULATED ROPE BRAKE AFTER TAKEOFF. AT 525 FEET THE CFI REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE AND THE RSP INITIATED A 30 DEGREE BANK TO THE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. AFTER 120 DEGREES OF TURN, AS THE RSP AND CFI LOOKED OVER THEIR SHOULDERS TOWARD THE RUNWAY, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED TO ABOUT 65 DEGREES. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS, LEVELED THE WINGS AND ADDED POWER. THE GLIDER THEN COLLIDED WITH TREES.
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 single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 560 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 422 as pilot in command; 202 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,158 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,874 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Grob 2500O-E1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from ASH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.