20200301006099A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK · Brownsboro, AL · March 1, 2020

Date: March 1, 2020 · 14:00 local
Place: Brownsboro, AL
Airport: Moontown Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N296BA
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20CA116
Reported as: Let L-23 Super Blanik
Reported engine: NONE NONE
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,834 total295 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N296BARegistration cancelled Feb 5, 2022 · Let L-23 SUPER BLANIKS/N 948117 · Built 1994 Airframe modelLet L-23 SUPER BLANIK 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.

The glider departed runway 27 under aerotow to accomplish a planned premature termination of tow for a training demonstration. The tow rope was released at approximately 300 feet AGL and the instructor initiated a right turn to land on runway 9 resulting in a tailwind. While attempting to align for the final approach, the instructor lost pitch control as the glider stalled. The glider impacted the ground nose first approximately 275 feet from the runway threshold.

As the FAA filed it

THE GLIDER DEPARTED RUNWAY 27 UNDER AEROTOW TO ACCOMPLISH A PLANNED PREMATURE TERMINATION OF TOW FOR A TRAINING DEMONSTRATION. THE TOW ROPE WAS RELEASED AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL AND THE INSTRUCTOR INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 9 RESULTING IN A TAILWIND. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ALIGN FOR THE FINAL APPROACH, THE INSTRUCTOR LOST PITCH CONTROL AS THE GLIDER STALLED. THE GLIDER IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST APPROXIMATELY 275 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.

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 ERA20CA116Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportHuntsville, ALThe pilot's failure to maintain glider control and his exceedance of the glider's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.Mar 1, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N296BA · 1

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

Incident 20000904027519ILevel Off Touchdown · Huntsville, AL(-23)Pilot's statement indicates that he misjudged his approach path and landed short of the runway by about 100 feet. Pilot was counseled and[privacy data omitted]Sep 4, 2000 · Minor damage