Ionia County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ionia, Michigan 48846
Saturday, June 26, 1993 14:07 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MAKING A SHORT LANDING TO AVOID ANOTHER GLIDER ON THE RUNWAY AHEAD, THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN JUST SHORT OF THE MOWED GRASS STRIP. LANDING IN THE TALL GRASS ON THE WET, SOFT GROUND, THE LEFT WING TIP WENT DOWN, AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT. WHILE GROUND LOOPING, THE FUSELAGE WAS DAMAGED JUST FORWARD OF THE VERTICAL FIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1407
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City IONIA
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48846
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport IONIA COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Y70
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 812
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 261
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 21
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 26
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 667
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52803
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4101M
NTSB Number CHI93LA230
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 G103
Aircraft Series Identifier G103
Aircraft Serial Number 3796
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 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1467
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name B & N LEASING CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3148 S. STATE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City IONIA
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48846
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name B & N LEASING CO.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3148 S. STATE ROAD
Operator City IONIA
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48846
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Y70
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --