Let BLANIK L-13 N49CC

Summary

On 11 July 1998 at about 20:30 local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 registered N49CC was involved in an accident near Hammonton, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were 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

11 July 1998 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hammonton, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Hammonton Airport (N81)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Let BLANIK L-13

Registration

N49CC

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

IAD98LA114

Nobody was injured.

Improper maintenance, which resulted in an over-pressurized landing gear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The glider pilot performed a landing to the runway. He described the landing as 'firm' and said he heard a 'bang' and scraping noises at touchdown and during rollout. Examination of the airframe revealed significant structural damage around the nose landing gear. The certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic who performed the repair work recorded his observations in a written statement. He said: 'The shock absorber was found to be full of fluid instead of half fluid and half 468 psi nitrogen. This resulted in the shock absorber being a rigid device. Because this device was improperly serviced sometime in the past, it transferred landing loads directly to the above named structures instead of dissipating them.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.