Let BLANIK L-13 N948LC
11 October 2009 · Llano, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 11 October 2009 at about 17:45 local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 registered N948LC, operated by Southern California Soaring Academy, was involved in an accident near Llano, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously 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 17:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Llano, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Crystal Airport (46CN)
- Coordinates
- 34.4844, -117.8264
- Aircraft
- Let BLANIK L-13
- Registration
- N948LC
- Category
- Glider
- Operator
- Southern California Soaring Academy
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Llano → Llano
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR10CA015
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper use of the airbrakes while on approach for landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
In a written statement, the certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student pilot had accomplished five dual instructional flights earlier that day. The CFI then cleared the student pilot for a solo flight. The glider was attached to a tow airplane, and the takeoff and tow were normal. The student released the glider at 2,000 feet above ground level (agl). The student used the airbrakes to descend to pattern altitude (1,000 feet agl). The CFI reported that the student forgot to close the airbrakes upon reaching traffic pattern altitude and the glider continued to descend rapidly. The student pilot maintained a 45-degree entry to the downwind leg of the runway and the glider impacted trees about 500 feet short of the airport, substantially damaging the wings, fuselage, and right horizontal stabilizer drag spar. When the CFI arrived on-scene the airbrakes were in the open position. There was no report of a mechanical failure or malfunction with the glider at the time of the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Let BLANIK accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 2008 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Bend, Oregon, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 2008 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Dansville, New York, United States | Finger Lakes Soaring Club | No injuries | - |
| 4 Oct 2008 | Let BLANIK | Gardner, Kansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 2008 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Arlington, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Oct 2007 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Hemet, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 2007 | Let BLANIK L-13 | Llano, California, United States | Henrich G Brigentoff | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2009 | Cessna 172P | Livermore, California, United States | Wollard Aviation Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 10 Dec 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Ojai, California, United States | Aviation Pacific Inc | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Fallbrook, California, United States | M.Y. Air Corp | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Mooney M20E | Rio Linda, California, United States | David Michaud | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Nov 2009 | Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 | Torrance, California, United States | Smith Richard Charles | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-24-260 | Santa Barbara, California, United States | Kris S Michel | No injuries | - |