Let BLANIK L-13 N3463
25 January 1998 · Prescott Valley, Arizona, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 25 January 1998 at about 19:00 local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 registered N3463 was involved in an accident near Prescott Valley, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Prescott Valley, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Coyote Run Glider Port
- Coordinates
- 34.6190, -112.4210
- Aircraft
- Let BLANIK L-13
- Registration
- N3463
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX98LA084
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The failure of the ground crew to correctly attach the tow bridle, which resulted in the pilot's loss of directional control.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The glider uses two attachment points on its bridle, one on either side of the fuselage, and has a single retractable wheel in the center of the fuselage. The left side bridle attachment point for the glider became unattached as the glider began the winch tow. The asymmetrical force then pulled the glider to the left, and the left wing struck a parked truck. The glider then proceeded in a sharp angle away from the runway towards the windsock pole, still under tow on only the right side and still accelerating. The glider launched into the air and struck the top of the windsock pole with the inboard portion of the right wing. The pilot reported that he then pulled the release to disconnect the tow wire from the glider. The right wingtip then struck the ground and the glider swung around approximately 270 degrees as the fuselage and tail struck the ground and came to a stop. According to an FAA inspector, the bridle was incorrectly attached at the time of the accident by the ground crew.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Let BLANIK accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 1998 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Hempstead, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Jul 1998 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Hammonton, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 1999 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Monroe, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Aug 1999 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Perry, South Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1999 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Barstow, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 1998 | Cessna 172M | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Sunbird Flight Services | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Nov 1998 | Varga 2150A | Chandler, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Sep 1998 | Piper PA-28-140 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Sep 1998 | Grumman HU-16C | Sedona, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Oct 1998 | Cessna 182P | Payson, Arizona, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Nov 1998 | Cessna 172P | Scottsdale, Arizona, United States | Karl G. Gimbel | Fatal | 2 |