# NTSB CEN20CA337: Evektor Aerotechnik L13, N334BA, Frankenmuth, MI, August 16, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 16, 2020, 14:54 local (18:54 UTC)
- Place: Frankenmuth, MI
- Coordinates: 43.314167, -83.711387 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3142&lon=-83.7114&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Prior to flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/100) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Prior to flight: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101800
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA337
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101800/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101800
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA337

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to stow the speed brake prior to attempting takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=0090100), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: brake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md?model=0090100), [All aircraft, 297 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=0090100), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Prior to flight: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=0090100), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0090100), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0090100), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that following a landing and back-taxi in a motor glider, he failed to stow the speed brake prior to attempting a subsequent takeoff. During the takeoff attempt, the glider would not climb out of ground effect. The motor glider departed the end of the runway and impacted terrain which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N334BA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N334BA-2024-07-27), registration cancelled 2024-07-27, S/N 940517, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Evektor Aerotechnik L13 (SEH)
- Registry model: [Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerotechnik-l-13-seh-vivat) (registry code 0090100) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Glider
- Serial number: 940517
- Year built: 1994
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: 66G, Frankenmuth, MI
- Destination: 66G, Frankenmuth, MI
- Airport: 66G, Wm 'Tiny' Zehnder Field, runway 09, 2,500 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20200816013249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200816013249A), Aug 16, 2020: Aerotechnik L-13 SEH VIVAT, Frankenmuth, MI, Substantial damage. On August 16, 2020 at 1454 local time, a Aerotechnik L-13 seh vivat powered glider, N334BA, registered to and operated by a private pilot, received substantial…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101800. 1.3 MB in all.

- Pilot's statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 212 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10177619&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Interview-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10177477&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf

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.

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