NTSB Identification: FTW96FA279B
Accident occurred Saturday, June 29, 1996 in BOULDER, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/18/1997
Aircraft: Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO, registration: N103LM
Injuries: 2 Fatal,2 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot of the RV-6, N194JP, was crossing over the airport at traffic pattern altitude (6,100 feet msl, 812 feet agl) en route to Englewood, Colorado. The pilot of the glider, N103LM, was approaching the airport at pattern altitude and was getting ready to turn onto the downwind leg. The front seat passenger in the glider yelled that there was an approaching airplane directly in front. The pilot of the glider made a steep left bank and deployed his dive brakes in an evasive maneuver. According to witnesses, the glider's right wing tip struck the approaching RV-6's propeller, right main wheel, and lower cowling. The glider continued the left bank and landed safely. The RV-6 was seen to make a steep right bank and fly towards the northwest. The pilot of the RV-6 transmitted a distress call on the UNICOM frequency. Witnesses then observed the RV-6 to make a steep left turn, stall, and impact a lake near the runway threshold.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: Poor judgment by the pilot of the RV-6, N194JP, in that he traversed an uncontrolled airport at traffic pattern altitude, failure of the pilots of both airplanes to see and avoid each other, and an inadvertent airplane stall encountered by the pilot of the RV-6 while maneuvering for an emergency landing. Full narrative available
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