Let L-23 N117BB
1 January 2002 · Sterling, Massachusetts, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 1 January 2002 at about 18:58 local time, a Let L-23 registered N117BB was involved in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, 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 18:58
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sterling, Massachusetts, United States
- Nearest airport
- Sterling Airport (3B3)
- Coordinates
- 42.4547, -71.7333
- Aircraft
- Let L-23
- Registration
- N117BB
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sterling → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC02LA046
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The student pilots inadequate compensation for wind conditions which resulted in an off-field landing, and the CFI's improper decision to allow the student to fly solo. Factors related to the accident were the gusting wind conditions, and the students lack of total experience in gliders.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
As the glider neared the airport, the student pilot entered the downwind leg further out from the runway than she normally would. As the glider was turned on to the base leg, the student realized that she would not make the runway and elected to perform a forced landing to a two-lane highway. The glider touched down on the southbound lane of the elevated roadway, impacted a metal guardrail, and came to rest upright. The student had accumulated about 13 hours of dual instruction in gliders, with 7 or 8 different flight instructors, and about 1.4 hours of solo time. The student added that previous to the accident flight, she had no plans to fly solo due to the wind conditions. After her flight instructor reassured her that the pervious dual flight had been good, and student climbed into the glider alone. The recorded weather at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 250 degrees at 13 knots, gusts to 22 knots.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Let L-23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Nov 2002 | Let L-23 | Groveland, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 May 2001 | Let L-23 | Arlington, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jul 2000 | Let L-23 SUPER BLANKIT | Waller, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Jul 1999 | Let L-23 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Apr 1998 | Let L-23 | New Castle, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Apr 1998 | Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK | Pipersville, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Nov 2002 | Mooney M20R | Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Jan 2002 | Piper PA-28-180 | Oxford, Massachusetts, United States | Eagle East Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 2002 | Niemann CHAMPION II | Foxboro, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Aug 2002 | Piper PA32-300 | Chatham, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 May 2002 | Cessna 172 | Norwood, Massachusetts, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 2002 | Piper PA-24-260 | New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |