Grob G103 A crash near Eßlingen during solo training flight approach
On October 5, 1997, a Grob G103 A crashed near Eßlingen, Germany, during a solo training flight. The glider entered an uncontrolled flight position during the final approach, resulting in a fatal crash in a wooded area. The aircraft was completely destroyed, and the pilot, a student with limited experience on the G103, was fatally injured. Investigations found no technical issues with the aircraft, and weather conditions were favorable. The report suggested a possible stall as the cause, but a health issue with the pilot could not be entirely ruled out.
- Winch launch circuit: During a solo training flight after an uneventful winch launch to about 250–300 m, the student flew a left-hand circuit and then positioned for a right-hand landing circuit to runway 13.
- Low type experience: The student pilot had limited solo experience overall and less than 30 minutes solo time on the Grob G103 type.
- Final approach mismanaged: On final approach to runway 13, the airbrakes were not deployed and the glider was observed to raise its nose and begin a slight right turn.
- No corrective input: Despite the instructor on the ground transmitting a radio command to push the nose down, the student made no observable corrective control input.
- Stall and loss of control: The glider exceeded its critical angle of attack, stalled with right wing drop, disappeared behind trees, then briefly reappeared about 20 m above ground still in an over‑stalled attitude before pitching down again.
- Crash - fatal: The glider struck trees, lost the left wing, impacted the ground initially in inverted attitude in a wooded area near Eßlingen, and came to rest destroyed, fatally injuring the pilot.