Burkhart Grob G103-TWINA accident near Saratoga Spring, New York, October 24, 1998
On October 24, 1998 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Burkhart Grob G103-TWINA (glider), registered N4446T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga Spring, New York (Saratoga County airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1998 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga Spring, New York · Saratoga County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G103-TWINA · all G103-TWINAs on the register
- Registration
- N4446T · registry record · serial 3824
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to conduct a local area glider flight. The glider departed the airport, and released from the tow-plane at 3,000 feet MSL. The pilot looked for thermals, but found none. He remained within 2 miles of the airport then decided to abort the flight due to insufficient lift. The pilot made a left downwind entry at 800 feet above the ground, turned base, then final. While on final, the pilot had his hands full just to keep the glider lined-up with the runway because of turbulence. The glider touched down at the intended touchdown point, but bounced back into the air. After the first bounce, the pilot was focusing on maintaining runway alignment that the glider began to oscillate. After contacting the runway a total of four times, the pilot was able to regain control of the glider and complete the landing. An after landing inspection revealed substantial damage to the tail wheel, and tail section of the glider.
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: 128 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,245 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1998; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B2 at 7:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from ALB, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.