# Accident 20110817019129A: Let L 33 SOLO, Wakefield, VA, August 17, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 17, 2011, 14:00 local time
- Place: Wakefield, VA
- Airport: Garner
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.9700° N, 76.9589° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9700&lon=-76.9589&mi=10
- Aircraft: N388BA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N388BA-2013-08-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Let L 33 SOLO (registry code 1360309, https://openairdocs.org/model/let-l-33-solo) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LET L 33 SOLO
- Reported engine: NONE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 630 total, 15 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11CA465](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA465) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110817019129A

## Narrative

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

THE GLIDER PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO "SINK" IN THE AREA.  HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A BEAN FIELD.  UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE BEAN CROP CAUSING A GROUND LOOP AND SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ERA11CA465](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA465), Aug 17, 2011: Let L 33 Solo (N388BA), Wakefield, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, resulting in an off-airport landing.

## Other reports on N388BA (1)

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

- [Accident 20011003031879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011003031879A), Oct 3, 2001: Let L33SOLO (N388BA), Windsor, VA, Substantial damage. (-23) On October 3, 2001, about 1300L, N388BA, a Let-L33 solo glider was spinning down from 4000' when a small battery charger, a foreign object, that was left…

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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