Pleasant Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peoria, Arizona 85382
Friday, May 2, 1997 14:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a landing, the glider collided with high vegetation on the left side of the runway after the student pilot allowed it to touchdown left of the runway centerline. The left wing tip dragged in the vegetation, and the glider ground looped to the left. The instructor stated that he was overconfident in the student's ability and did not anticipate his actions. The runway was 4,000 feet long and 75 feet wide. The wing span of the glider was about 57 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the student pilot to maintain proper runway alignment and wing tip clearance from high vegetation beside the runway during landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. High vegetation on the runway shoulder was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PEORIA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85382
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PLEASANT VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AZ05
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1580
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 116
Weather Observation Facility ID DVT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1476
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 28
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 3 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1024
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N931BG
NTSB Number LAX97LA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Burkhart Grob
Aircraft Model 103A
Aircraft Series Identifier 103A
Aircraft Serial Number 34054-K-284
Certified Max Gross Weight 1279
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 4 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 6238
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BABOQUIVARI SOARING SCHOOL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8700 WEST CAREFREE HWY
Aircraft Owner City PEORIA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85382
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code AZ05
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23C
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --