20071111828829A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Let L 33 SOLO · Louisburg, NC · November 11, 2007

Date: November 11, 2007 · 15:00 local
Place: Louisburg, NC
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N284BA
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC08CA031
Reported as: Let L33SOLO
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 74 total32 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days

N284BARegistered now · Let L 33 SOLOS/N 940312 · Built 1994 Airframe modelLet L 33 SOLO 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.

(-23) Pilot's statement via email - "departure from ball airport (79NC) Louisburg, NC 11:47 et via aero-tow released 1800FT MSL just west of airfield began thermaling in lift, flew nw approximately 11NM towards the town of henderson, NC thermaling along the way to maintain and gain altitude on returning leg of flight; back towards departing airfield lost altitude due to lift conditions began pattern for off-field landing. On final roll-out, after touch down in hay field 2 miles nw of departing airfield, glider rolled throwing a grass covered culvert unobserved from the air causing significant damage to aircraft at approximately 15:00 et. No injuries. Departed aircraft via standard exit procedure, contacted fellow glider pilots to report land-out. Property owner arrived and notified me that he was bringing livestock through field and that the aircraft would have to be removed to insure no further damage. Aircraft retrieved 16:30 et via fellow glider pilots using aircraft trailer."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT'S STATEMENT VIA EMAIL - "DEPARTURE FROM BALL AIRPORT (79NC) LOUISBURG, NC 11:47 ET VIA AERO-TOW RELEASED 1800FT MSL JUST WEST OF AIRFIELD BEGAN THERMALING IN LIFT, FLEW NW APPROXIMATELY 11NM TOWARDS THE TOWN OF HENDERSON, NC THERMALING ALONG THE WAY TO MAINTAIN AND GAIN ALTITUDE ON RETURNING LEG OF FLIGHT; BACK TOWARDS DEPARTING AIRFIELD LOST ALTITUDE DUE TO LIFT CONDITIONS BEGAN PATTERN FOR OFF-FIELD LANDING. ON FINAL ROLL-OUT, AFTER TOUCH DOWN IN HAY FIELD 2 MILES NW OF DEPARTING AIRFIELD, GLIDER ROLLED THROWING A GRASS COVERED CULVERT UNOBSERVED FROM THE AIR CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 15:00 ET. NO INJURIES. DEPARTED AIRCRAFT VIA STANDARD EXIT PROCEDURE, CONTACTED FELLOW GLIDER PILOTS TO REPORT LAND-OUT. PROPERTY OWNER ARRIVED AND NOTIFIED ME THAT HE WAS BRINGING LIVESTOCK THROUGH FIELD AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO INSURE NO FURTHER DAMAGE. AIRCRAFT RETRIEVED 16:30 ET VIA FELLOW GLIDER PILOTS USING AIRCRAFT TRAILER."

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 NYC08CA031Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportLouisburg, NCThe flight's encounter with an area of no thermal lift. Contributing factors to the accident were the pilot's inadvertent selection of unsuitable terrain with a hidden obstruction.Nov 11, 2007 · Substantial damage