Burkhart Grob G 103 TWIN II accident near Levan, Utah, July 25, 2021
On July 25, 2021 at about 9:38 pm local time, a 1983 Burkhart Grob G 103 TWIN II (glider), registered N4446Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Levan, Utah. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight which resulted in an off-airport landing and a collision with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2021 · about 9:38 pm local time
- Place
- Levan, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob G 103 TWIN II, built 1983 · all G 103 TWIN IIs on the register
- Registration
- N4446Y · registry record · serial 3825
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the flight, the glider encountered insufficient lift to maintain flight and he decided to land off airport. He performed a high recon of the area and selected a landing site on the north side of a local reservoir, along the shoreline. While on downwind for the intended landing area, he did not see any obstacles, and performed a teardrop turn to final. The glider touched down in the approximate area he intended to, however, during landing roll, the glider collided with a barbed wire fence and sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the rear canopy. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of lift during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Thermal lifting › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,340 hours in all; 504 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 2,172 as pilot in command; 956 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 22, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,091.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,278 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Utah Soaring Association
The flight
- Departed from: U14 Nehi UT at 8:27 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KOGD, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOGD 252253Z 32006KT 7SM CLR 35/00 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP095 T03500000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 WPR21LA290.