# Accident 20060711030339A: Let L23SUPERBLAN, Los Alamitos, CA, July 11, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 11, 2006, 15:00 local time
- Place: Los Alamitos, CA
- Airport: Los Alamitos Aaf
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7900° N, 118.0519° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7900&lon=-118.0519&mi=10
- Aircraft: N381BA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N381BA-2020-05-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK (registry code 1360308, https://openairdocs.org/model/let-l-23-super-blanik) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LET L23SUPERBLAN
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX06TA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06TA234) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060711030339A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 11, 2006, ABOUT 1500 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BLANIK L23, N381BA, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE US ARMY AIRFIELD AT LOS ALAMITOS, CALIFORNIA. THE CIVIL PATROL (CAP) WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE AS A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE STUDENT PILOT WERE NOT INJURED; THE GLIDER SUSTAINED DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE CAP REPORTED THAT THEY WERE USING A WINCH TO LAUNCH THE GLIDER. THEY WERE EXPERIMENTING WITH A NEW PLASMA LAUNCH ROPE. WITH THE NEW ROPE, THE WINCH OPERATOR COULD NOT SEE THE GLIDER UNTIL IT BECAME AIRBORNE. AS THE WINCH OPERATOR WATCHED THE GLIDER BECOME AIRBORNE, HE DIVERTED HIS EYES FROM THE WINCH GAUGES. WHEN HE LOOKED BACK AT THEM, HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS ACCELERATING IT FASTER THAN HE DESIRED. HE REDUCED THE WINCH'S POWER MOMENTARILY. THE GLIDER STALLED AT 80 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. IT LANDED HARD, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING. THIS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE FAA WAS NOT NOTIFIED UNTIL 05/08/2007, THEREFORE THIS REPORT IS NOT SUBMITTED WITHIN THE 30 DAY REPORTING PERIOD.

## 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 LAX06TA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06TA234), Jul 11, 2006: Let Super Blanik L-23 (N381BA), Los Alamitos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the winch operator to maintain an adequate winch tow speed, resulting in a stall and hard landing.

## Other reports on N381BA (1)

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

- [Accident 20150329005289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150329005289A), Mar 29, 2015: Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK (N381BA), Los Alamitos, CA, Substantial damage. During take off using normal aerotow operations on runway 22R at approximately 150 to 200 AGL tow aircraft waved wings signalling immediate release. Pilot of…

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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