ATL85FMG06

NTSB accident investigation · Let L-13 · Chester, SC · August 20, 1985

Accident · No injuriesFinal report

Date: August 20, 1985, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC)
Place: Chester, SC
Injuries: 1 uninjured
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Landing
Aircraft: N96ASLet L-13
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19850820043239A
Case key: 6670

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

UndershootLanding - flare/touchdown

Flight controls - improper use ofPilot in commandCause

Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Flt control syst,wing spoiler system - binding(mechanical)Factor

Lack of total experience in kind of aircraftPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - flare/touchdown

Object - tree(s)Factor

Analysis

The glider landed about 150 ft short of the rwy on the plts 1st solo in this acft. He said he noticed a rapid drop in alt at 55 mph on final approach and began to change spoiler position to compensate. He complained that the stiffness of the operation of the spoilers may have misled him as to the flt position.

Aircraft

Registration: N96AS
Reported as: Let L-13
Category: Glider
Serial number: 027020
Airframe hours: 94
Engine: None NONE, unknown
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Registered owner: Bermuda High Soaring Club
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Last inspection: Annual · May 15, 1985 · 30 hours before
Airport: 9A6 · Chester Muncipal

N96ASRegistration cancelled Feb 4, 2023 · Let BLANIK L-13S/N 027020 · Built 1978 Airframe modelLet BLANIK L-13 Engine modelNONENone

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role: Pilot
Age: 37
Certificate: Commercial
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Seat: Front
Flight hours: 244 total · 1 in this make and model · 112 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility: 1 statute miles
Temperature: 86 °F, dew point -0 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19850820043239ALet L13BLANIK · Chester, SCLanded in pine trees near end of runway. Misuse of spoilers probably caused landing to be short of runway.Aug 20, 1985 · N96AS · Substantial damage

Other investigations on N96AS · 1

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

NTSB IAD78FKW09Accident · Minor injuriesClosedBenton, TNAug 2, 1978 · Substantial damage