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CHI92LA143

1992-05-10 · IONIA, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N140BG

Make / Model
BURKHART GROB G 103 TWIN II
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19841219
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0A2D0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND DECISION TO CLOSE THE GLIDER'S CANOPY AT LOW ALTITUDE.

Factual narrative

THE GLIDER WAS IN THE INITIAL CLIMB PHASE FROM TAKEOFF AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 150-200' AGL WHEN THE CANOPY SUDDENLY UNLATCHED AND STRUCK THE RIGHT WING. THE CANOPY WAS STILL ATTACHED, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE IT. THE PILOT REPORTED HE BECAME DISORIENTED IN RELATION TO THE TOW AIRPLANE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE CANOPY, AND ELECTED TO PULL THE TOW RELEASE. ALTITUDE WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR A RETURN TO THE RUNWAY, AND AN OFF-AIRPORT SITE WAS SELECTED. THE GLIDER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING IN A ROUGH FIELD. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE GLIDER DISCLOSED NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WITH THE CANOPY LATCHING MECHANISM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_CHI92LA143.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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