# Accident 20040523007709A: Let L13BLANIK, Sparks, NV, May 23, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2004, 19:00 local time
- Place: Sparks, NV
- Airport: Air Sailing Gliderport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8719° N, 119.7008° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8719&lon=-119.7008&mi=10
- Aircraft: N53AS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53AS-2021-10-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Let BLANIK L-13 (registry code 1360306, https://openairdocs.org/model/let-blanik-l-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LET L13BLANIK
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 41 total, 7 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA220) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040523007709A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON MAY 23, 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 PDT, MR. NORMAN J. FREITAS ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 3 AT AIR SAILING AIRPORT, NV IN A BLANIK L-13, N53AS. MR. FREITAS FLEW A CLOSE-IN TRAFFIC PATTERN RESULTING IN A HIGH BASE LEG. HE OVERSHOT THE FINAL, SIDE-SLIPPED BACK TO THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE, BUT REMAINED HIGH AND FAST. HE THEN FLEW DOWN THE RUNWAY SLOWING TO TOUCHDOWN SPEED AND MADE GROUND CONTACT APPROXIMATELY 621 FEET BEYOND THE FAR END OF RUNWAY 3. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY 470 FEET LATER. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY MR. FREITAS. MINOR TO MAJOR DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE RIGHT STABILIZER ATTACHMENT POINT. MINOR DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE TAILCONE. MR. FREITAS WAS COUNSELED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX04CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA220), May 24, 2004: Let Blanik L-13 (N53AS), Sparks, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's misjudged altitude, distance, and speed, and failure to attain the proper touchdown point, resulting in an overshoot of the runway.

## Other reports on N53AS (2)

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

- [Accident 19910804061919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910804061919A), Aug 4, 1991: Let L13BLANIK (N53AS), Byron, CA, Substantial damage. Ran out of thermals,began return. Unable. Landed in field with tall weeds and struck a ditch.
- [Accident 19810412018199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810412018199A), Apr 12, 1981: Let L13BLANIK (N53AS), Fremont, CA, Substantial damage. Glider pilot misjudged aproach to runway, impacted embankment short of runway. Possible downdraft in area.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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