Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR accident near Minden, Nevada, August 9, 2024
On August 9, 2024 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1982 Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR (glider), registered N125CC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe 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 glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight and a subsequent collision with an obstacle during an off-field landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2024 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR, built 1982 · all G103 TWIN ASTIRs on the register
- Registration
- N125CC · registry record · serial 3710
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider was launched by aerotow and released about 5 miles from the departure airport. After climbing to about 10,400 ft msl, the pilot flew the glider towards an adjacent peak, however while enroute the glider encountered sink and descended. Rather than fly back towards the sinking air, the pilot began to track towards another peak in anticipation of finding lifting air, in an area where he had been successful in the past. However, the glider continued to descend so he turned back towards the departure airport. The headwinds were significant, and by the time the glider had sunk to 1,000 ft above ground level, the airport was no longer in site, so he elected to perform an off-field landing on a dirt road. During the landing roll the left wing struck a raised rock, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of lift during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Thermal lifting › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 112 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 2, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,216.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 23, 2024; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,279 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Silverado Soaring INC
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KMEV, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMEV 091955Z AUTO 31006KT 10SM CLR 33/03 A3010 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR24LA274.