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WPR14CA063

2013-12-07 · Bryon, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport C83

Current FAA registration · N3981C

Make / Model
BURKHART GROB G 103 TWIN II
Year of manufacture
1983 · 30 years old at event
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19830725
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4A2FF

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate wing clearance from a runway sign while taxiing.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that during landing the glider touched down slightly left of the runway centerline. He engaged the brakes and steered the glider towards the right side of the runway to prepare for a turn. When he approached the taxiway entrance, he released the brakes and started to turn to the left. During the turn the left wing struck a runway sign; the airplane made a sharp left turn, exited the runway surface and came to rest on the grass. During the accident sequence, the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that during landing the glider touched down slightly left of the runway centerline. He engaged the brakes and steered the glider towards the right side of the runway to prepare for a turn. When he approached the taxiway entrance, he released the brakes and started to turn to the left. During the turn the left wing struck a runway sign; the airplane made a sharp left turn, exited the runway surface and came to rest on the grass. During the accident sequence, the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Sign/marker-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_WPR14CA063.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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