Let L-13 N90867

Summary

On 22 May 2000 at about 19:00 local time, a Let L-13 registered N90867 was involved in an accident near Pensacola, Florida, 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.

Date

22 May 2000 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pensacola, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Coastal Airport (83J)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Let L-13

Registration

N90867

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pensacola → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00LA165

Nobody was injured.

The student's failure to maintain the proper landing pattern altitude resulting in an undershoot during landing and collision with a fence. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to realize the spoilers were still deployed during the undershoot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student glider pilot, as well as his CFI who was observing from the ground, his base turn from the downwind leg was made at too low an altitude and too late, relative to his position in the landing pattern, to allow for arrival at the runway with sufficient altitude and airspeed for a safe landing. Contributing to the low and slow condition on final approach was the pilot's failure to realize the spoilers were still deployed. The glider collided with an airport perimeter fence short of the runway causing substantial damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.