Let L23-NO SERIES N381BA

Summary

On 29 March 2015 at about 19:45 local time, a Let L23-NO SERIES registered N381BA, operated by Los Alamitos Glider Training Sqaudron 41, was involved in an accident near Los Alamitos, California, United States. 2 people were 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

29 March 2015 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Los Alamitos, California, United States

Nearest airport

Los Alamitos Aaf (SLI)

Coordinates

33.7897, -118.0592

Aircraft

Let L23-NO SERIES

Registration

N381BA

Category

Glider

Year built

2001

Operator

Los Alamitos Glider Training Sqaudron 41

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Los Alamitos → Los Alamitos

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA028

1 person had minor injuries.

The inadvertent deployment of the air brakes during initial climb, resulting in a loss of lift. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to identify and remediate the cause.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The glider instructor was giving an introduction flight. During the tow-plane assisted launch, the glider's air brakes were inadvertently deployed. The tow plane was unable to obtain a positive rate of climb, so the tow-plane pilot signaled for a glider disconnect. The glider pilot released the glider from the tow plane, about 175 feet above the ground. After the release the pilot made a 125 degree right turn to land on an adjacent taxiway and touched down with a high descent rate. During the landing the glider sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and fuselage. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The passenger was not injured. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider prior to the accident that would have resulted in abnormal operation of the glider. In addition, he reported that he accomplished a pre-launch checklist prior to the flight and that the launch was more turbulent than normal. He remarked that the accident could have been prevented if he would have landed straight ahead instead of making the right turn. Witnesses on the ground reported seeing the air brakes deploy during the launch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.