# Accident 20091011022499A: Let L13BLANIK, Llano, CA, October 11, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 11, 2009, 11:00 local time
- Place: Llano, CA
- Airport: Crystal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.4844° N, 117.8264° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4844&lon=-117.8264&mi=10
- Aircraft: N948LC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N948LC-2017-04-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Let BLANIK L-13 (registry code 1360306, https://openairdocs.org/model/let-blanik-l-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LET L13BLANIK
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 60 total, 45 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR10CA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA015) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091011022499A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR10CA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA015), Oct 11, 2009: Let Blanik L-13 (N948LC), Llano, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper use of the airbrakes while on approach for landing.

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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