NTSB MIA92LA153 — 1992-07-25 · KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, United States

N2135R has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (HEAD BALLOONS AX8-105, built 2009), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N2135R BURKHART GROB G103 Serious

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY INSTRUCT THE PASSENGER ON AIRCRAFT CONTROLS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, RESULTING IN THE PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY RELEASING THE TOW CABLE AS THE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED THROUGH 150 FEET.

Factual narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO INSTRUCT REAR SEAT PASSENGER, WHO DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, HOW TO OPEN AIR VENT. THE PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY PULLED THE TOW CABLE RELEASE AND THE GLIDER DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT AT 150 FEET. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY BEFORE LANDING ON A GRASSY SLOPE, AND GROUND LOOPING, AT WHICH TIME THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_MIA92LA153.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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