- Date
- October 4, 2008, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Gardner, KS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N48026Let Blanik
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Glider tow event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Kansas City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081004848339A
- Case key
- 69155
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff when the climb performance of the tow plane and the glider were inadequate. Contributing to the accident were the high density altitude and the terrain-induced turbulence.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was conducting a normal aero-tow takeoff in a glider from runway 21, a 2,154-foot-long turf runway. The tow plane pilot and the glider pilot reported that they both became airborne at approximately 40 knots. Both pilots released the tow rope at the end of the runway when it became obvious that the climb performance of the glider and the tow plane was insufficient to accelerate or to climb out of ground effect. The glider then crashed into the fence at the end of the runway. Weather at the time of the accident was 10 miles visibility, clear of clouds, winds from 150 degrees at 9 knots, with a temperature of 74 degrees and dew point of 57 degrees. Density altitude was calculated as 2,260 feet. Other pilots familiar with this airport report that often in crosswind operations there is induced turbulence from the trees along left side of the departure end of runway 21.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was conducting a normal aero tow takeoff in a glider from the 2,154 foot long turf runway 21. The tow plane pilot and the glider pilot both reported that they both became airborne at approximately 40 knots and both pilots released the tow rope at the end of the runway when it became obvious that the climb performance of the glider and the tow plane was insufficient to accelerate or to climb out of ground effect. The glider then crashed into the fence at the end of runway 21. Weather reported by at the time of the accident was 10 miles visibility, clear of clouds, winds from 150 at 9 knots, with a temperature of 74 degrees and dew point of 57 degrees. Density altitude was calculated as 2,260 feet. Other pilots familiar with this airport report that in crosswind operations there is frequently induced turbulence from the trees along left side of the departure end of runway 21.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48026
- Reported as
- Let Blanik (L-13)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 026021
- Airframe hours
- 1,859
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 17, 2008
- Departed
- K34 · Gardner, KS
- Destination
- K34 · Gardner, KS
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- K34 · Gardner Municipal Airport, runway 21, 2,154 × 80 ft, grass/turf
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 28, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 479 total · 13 in this make and model · 409 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KIXD, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.