NTSB CAROL · Event
Event MIA92LA153
Registry · N2135R
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
HEAD BALLOONS AX8-105
Year of manufacture
2009
Engine
AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20090922
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1C7BE
Registrant of record
GRIFFITH JUSTIN M
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
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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