19990715022379A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Let L23 · Jacksonville, FL · July 15, 1999

Date: July 15, 1999
Place: Jacksonville, FL
Airport: Herlong Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N254BA
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA99LA197
Reported as: Let L23
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0

N254BARegistration cancelled Feb 25, 2011 · Let L-23 SUPER BLANIKS/N 917803 · Built 1991 Airframe modelLet L-23 SUPER BLANIK 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.

(.19) On July 15, 1999, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Let blanik L-23 glider, N254BA, registered to the north Florida soaring society inc., collided with a tree while on approach to the Herlong Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 local personal flight. The glider was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at an unknown time. The glider was on approach to the airport, and landed short of the intended touchdown point, in a tree, about 3 1/2 miles north of the airport. According to the pilot, the glider encountered an unexpected sink before "pancaking" in a tree. (-23) returning to Jacksonville hurlong airport, pilot experienced a down draft, ran out of forward velocity, stalled and crashed into trees.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON JULY 15, 1999, ABOUT 1400 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A LET BLANIK L-23 GLIDER, N254BA, REGISTERED TO THE NORTH FLORIDA SOARING SOCIETY INC., COLLIDED WITH A TREE WHILE ON APPROACH TO THE HERLONG AIRPORT, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE GLIDER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. THE GLIDER WAS ON APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, AND LANDED SHORT OF THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, IN A TREE, ABOUT 3 1/2 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED SINK BEFORE "PANCAKING" IN A TREE. (-23) RETURNING TO JACKSONVILLE HURLONG AIRPORT, PILOT EXPERIENCED A DOWN DRAFT, RAN OUT OF FORWARD VELOCITY, STALLED AND CRASHED INTO TREES.

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 MIA99LA197Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportJacksonville, FLthe pilot's improper in-flight decisions allowing the glider to descend to a low altitude, resulting in a forced landing off the airport and subsequent impact with a tree.Jul 15, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N254BA · 1

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

Accident 19951216043649ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Jacksonville, FLUnable find thermals. Elected land in football field. Left wing struck goal post.Dec 16, 1995 · Substantial damage