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WPR10CA288

2010-06-11 · Minden, Nevada, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N41KP

Make / Model
BURKHART GROB G103C TWIN III ACRO
Year of manufacture
1992 · 18 years old at event
Engine
AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19921214
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4D2B6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's encounter with an area of degraded lift during cruise flight, resulting in a forced off-airport landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that during cruise flight in the glider he encountered significant sinking air that prevented him from being able to make his destination glider port. He elected to make an off-field landing into a field. During the landing roll, the left wing contacted the ground and turned the glider to the left. During the turn, the glider's tail assembly separated from the fuselage. There was substantial damage to the tail structure. The pilot stated that during cruise flight in the glider he encountered significant sinking air that prevented him from being able to make his destination glider port. He elected to make an off-field landing into a field. During the landing roll, the left wing contacted the ground and turned the glider to the left. During the turn, the glider's tail assembly separated from the fuselage. There was substantial damage to the tail structure. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-Thermal lifting-Not specified - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Rough terrain-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_WPR10CA288.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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