NTSB MKC89LA131 — 1989-06-11 · STANTON, Minnesota, United States

N83GB has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CESSNA 560XL, built 2008), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N83GB GLASER-DIRKS DG-101 None

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER USE OF FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF GLIDER.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER A NORMAL LIFT-OFF, THE GLIDER BOUNCED, CAUSING IT TO RISE RAPIDLY TO ABOUT 50 FEET AGL. HE ELECTED TO RELEASE FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT AND LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. HOWEVER, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE GLIDER CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 35 HOURS IN GLIDERS OF WHICH 2 HOURS WERE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF GLIDER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_MKC89LA131.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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