20191018019599A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Sportine Aviacija IR Ko LAK-17B FES · Tamaqua, PA · October 18, 2019

Date: October 18, 2019 · 15:42 local
Place: Tamaqua, PA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N830DK
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20FA013
Reported as: Sportine Aviacija IR Ko LAK-17B FES
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total

N830DKRegistration cancelled Sep 3, 2022 · Sportine Aviacija IR Ko LAK-17B FESS/N 232 · Built 2015 Airframe modelSportine Aviacija IR Ko LAK-17B FES Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

On October 18, 2019, about 1542 eastern daylight time, a Sportine aviacija LAK-17B motorized glider, N830DK, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. No flight plan was filed for the personal local flight that departed blairstown airport (1N7), blairstown, new jersey about 0945.

According to the witness, he was working outside when he looked up and saw "an airplane" about .5 mile away heading straight down. He stopped and watched "the airplane" for a few seconds before it disappeared behind some trees.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 18, 2019, ABOUT 1542 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A SPORTINE AVIACIJA LAK-17B MOTORIZED GLIDER, N830DK, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED BLAIRSTOWN AIRPORT (1N7), BLAIRSTOWN, NEW JERSEY ABOUT 0945.

ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS, HE WAS WORKING OUTSIDE WHEN HE LOOKED UP AND SAW "AN AIRPLANE" ABOUT .5 MILE AWAY HEADING STRAIGHT DOWN. HE STOPPED AND WATCHED "THE AIRPLANE" FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND SOME TREES.

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 ERA20FA013Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportTamaqua, PAThe pilot's exceedance of the glider's critical angle of attack while climbing in thermal lift, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.Oct 18, 2019 · Substantial damage