West Texas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79927
Sunday, February 26, 1989 12:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK TWO PARKED ACFT FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE LANDING. THE PLT STATED THAT SHE OVERCONTROLLED WITH SPOILERS AFTER HAVING BOUNCED ON LANDING DUE TO A HIGH SINK RATE. WINDS WERE GUSTING AT THE TIME AND THE PLT WAS FLYING FROM THE RIGHT SEAT, A POSITION FROM WHICH SHE HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT IN COMMAND'S LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO OVERCONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. THE SITUATION WAS PROCEEDED BY A HIGH SINK RATE THAT RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING WITH AN INADEQUATE RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE AT FLYING THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT SEAT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79927
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEST TEXAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TX04
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4000
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1149 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 4000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6100
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 342
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38721
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N224BG
NTSB Number FTW89DQA03
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 G109B
Aircraft Series Identifier G109B
Aircraft Serial Number 6365
Certified Max Gross Weight 1874
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 3 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 275
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name G109 B CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3737 N. MESA
Aircraft Owner City EL PASO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79902
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUZANNE S. AZAR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2424 ALTURA AVENUE
Operator City EL PASO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79930
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 No
Departure Airport Code ELP
Departure City EL PASO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 8
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --