Let L 33 SOLO N278BA

Summary

On 22 May 2011 at about 21:00 local time, a Let L 33 SOLO registered N278BA, operated by Sierra Fliers LLC, was involved in an accident near Sparks, Nevada, 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

22 May 2011 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Sparks, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Air Sailing Gliderport (NV23)

Coordinates

39.5447, -119.7781

Aircraft

Let L 33 SOLO

Registration

N278BA

Category

Glider

Operator

Sierra Fliers LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sparks → Sparks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11CA231

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after an uneventful cross-country flight he returned to the airport to land with a 5- to 7-knot headwind down the runway. A witness stated that during the landing flare, at a height of approximately 5 feet, the pilot appeared to be at a high angle of attack. Subsequently, the airplane appeared to stall and land hard on the runway, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.