Let SUPER BLANIK L-33 N23BR

Summary

On 15 May 1994 at about 18:30 local time, a Let SUPER BLANIK L-33 registered N23BR was involved in an accident near New Castle, Virginia, 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

15 May 1994 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

New Castle, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

New Castle (VA85)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Let SUPER BLANIK L-33

Registration

N23BR

Category

Glider

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC94LA081

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS RESULTING IN FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE DURING THE APPROACH FOR LANDING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF GLIDER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT HAD LESS THAN 1 HOUR OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL GLIDER. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, BETWEEN 100 AND 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND (AGL), TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED BY THE TOW PLANE AND THE GLIDER. DURING THE DOWNWIND CLIMB, AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL, AND 300 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, THE GLIDER PILOT RELEASED THE TOW. BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN ONTO THE BASE LEG AND CONTINUED THE TURN TO FINAL. THE PILOT ESTIMATED HIS SINK RATE ON FINAL AT 2600 FEET PER MINUTE. THE GLIDER LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, HIT TRACTOR RUTS, AND SKEWED ABOUT 80 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND STOPPED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE GLIDER SPOILERS DEPLOYED, FROM BASE LEG TO LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.