Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 TWIN ASTIR N3872G accident near Wellington, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to level the wings during the landing flare, which resulted in the left wing striking the runway.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of a glider reported that he encountered a "heavy sink" on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern. He immediately made a left steep turn toward the runway, but the left wing impacted terrain during the turn to final. Subsequently, the tail section of fuselage impacted the runway, and the glider came to rest on the runway surface. The fuselage sustained substantial damage.

About the time of the accident at an airport 11 nautical miles north of the destination airport, the wind was reported at 210 degrees true at 8 knots, the sky condition was clear, temperature was 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit), and dew point was 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit).

The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA15CA299 for the full record.