20091011022499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Let L13BLANIK · Llano, CA · October 11, 2009

Date: October 11, 2009 · 11:00 local
Place: Llano, CA
Airport: Crystal
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N948LC
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10CA015
Reported as: Let L13BLANIK
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 60 total45 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N948LCRegistration cancelled Apr 18, 2017 · Let BLANIK L-13S/N 026037 Airframe modelLet BLANIK L-13

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.

Student had 5 dual flights on day of the accident. On first supervised solo flight, student stated that the aerotow was normal and at 2,000 feet AGL, he releassed from tow to fly the pattern. Student noticed that he was high for the entry point for the pattern so he applied the dive brakes to lose altitude to arrive at the pattern entry point at the correct altitude. As the student turned downwind he stated he made a radio call announcing that he was downwind, and then got distracted by the position of the microphone and the chatter on the radio. Student stated he noticed that he was getting low and turned toward the airport to make a downwind landing, but due to buildings and hangars he turned away from the field and decided to land off airport. Student stated the approach was normal but that he hit some joshua trees prior to touchdown and the aircraft came to an abrupt stop. See attached for flight instructor russell holtz's statement.

As the FAA filed it

STUDENT HAD 5 DUAL FLIGHTS ON DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. ON FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT, STUDENT STATED THAT THE AEROTOW WAS NORMAL AND AT 2,000 FEET AGL, HE RELEASSED FROM TOW TO FLY THE PATTERN. STUDENT NOTICED THAT HE WAS HIGH FOR THE ENTRY POINT FOR THE PATTERN SO HE APPLIED THE DIVE BRAKES TO LOSE ALTITUDE TO ARRIVE AT THE PATTERN ENTRY POINT AT THE CORRECT ALTITUDE. AS THE STUDENT TURNED DOWNWIND HE STATED HE MADE A RADIO CALL ANNOUNCING THAT HE WAS DOWNWIND, AND THEN GOT DISTRACTED BY THE POSITION OF THE MICROPHONE AND THE CHATTER ON THE RADIO. STUDENT STATED HE NOTICED THAT HE WAS GETTING LOW AND TURNED TOWARD THE AIRPORT TO MAKE A DOWNWIND LANDING, BUT DUE TO BUILDINGS AND HANGARS HE TURNED AWAY FROM THE FIELD AND DECIDED TO LAND OFF AIRPORT. STUDENT STATED THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL BUT THAT HE HIT SOME JOSHUA TREES PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. SEE ATTACHED FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RUSSELL HOLTZ'S STATEMENT.

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 WPR10CA015Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportLlano, CAThe student pilot's improper use of the airbrakes while on approach for landing.Oct 11, 2009 · Substantial damage