Let BLANIK L-13 N48029

Summary

On 21 July 2008 at about 00:20 local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 registered N48029 was involved in an accident near Arlington, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 2008 at 00:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Arlington, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Arlington Municipal (KAWO)

Coordinates

48.1608, -122.1589

Aircraft

Let BLANIK L-13

Registration

N48029

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA08CA163

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree while making an off-field landing in a glider. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting winds.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a 15-minute glider flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for a planned full-stop landing on a grass airstrip that ran adjacent to the active paved runway. He then extended his downwind leg in order to create a greater clearance between himself and a powered airplane that was landing on the paved runway. After rolling out on base leg, the pilot realized that he had extended his downwind leg too far to reach the grass strip under the gusting wind conditions. He therefore decided to land in a field short of the grass runway. While maneuvering to land in that field, he failed to maintain clearance from a nearby tree. After the wing of the glider hit the tree, it cart-wheeled into the field, and sustained wrinkling and crushing damage to both wings and fuselage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.