19970819023189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Let L13BLANIK · Hamilton, MT · August 19, 1997

Date: August 19, 1997 · 16:30 local
Place: Hamilton, MT
Airport: Ravalli County Airport
Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N52AS
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA97LA194
Reported as: Let L13BLANIK
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,000 total1,000 in this make and model

N52ASRegistered now · Let BLANIK L-13S/N 027056 · Built 1977 Airframe modelLet BLANIK L-13 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Sailplane struck a taxiway sign while turning off the runway at a high speed. (.4)eyewitnesses observed the glider turn off the runway at an excessive speed after landing. The glider then impacted a taxiway sign near the turnoff. The pilot stated that a gust of wind 'slammed down' the left wing of the glider onto the sign. The eyewitnesses reported that the winds were light and variable with no gusts or crosswinds.

As the FAA filed it

SAILPLANE STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN WHILE TURNING OFF THE RUNWAY AT A HIGH SPEED. (.4)EYEWITNESSES OBSERVED THE GLIDER TURN OFF THE RUNWAY AT AN EXCESSIVE SPEED AFTER LANDING. THE GLIDER THEN IMPACTED A TAXIWAY SIGN NEAR THE TURNOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT A GUST OF WIND 'SLAMMED DOWN' THE LEFT WING OF THE GLIDER ONTO THE SIGN. THE EYEWITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH NO GUSTS OR CROSSWINDS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97LA194Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHamilton, MTThe pilot's excessive speed taxispeed and failure to maintain wing clearance from a taxiway sign.Aug 19, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N52AS · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19930926037719ATo Aborted (Fixed Wing) · Clinton, MTTow rope broke second time. Tow plane aborted. Landed on tow rope causing glider to veer off runway. Hit border coneSep 26, 1993 · Reported as Let L13BLANIK · Substantial damage