- Date
- September 1, 2024, 16:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Kingman, KS · field
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N133LBLet L 33 Solo
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20240901017219A
- Case key
- 195041
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 loss of control on short final.
Findings · 1
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 pilot reported that during the local glider flight, he was unable to find sufficient lift to remain airborne. He selected a field that was within gliding distance and setup for landing. However, on short final, he became fixated on a small tree in the glide path. The airspeed decreased, and the glider entered an inadvertent aerodynamic stall. The subsequent impact with the terrain resulted in damage to the left wing spar and aft fuselage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures which precluded normal operation of the glider.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N133LB
- Reported as
- Let L 33 Solo
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 930202
- Built
- 1993
- Airframe hours
- 594.3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2024 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- 9K8 · Kingman, KS
- Destination
- 9K8 · Kingman, KS
- Airport
- N/A · N/A
- Equipment
- None
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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 57 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KICT, 30 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KICT 012053Z 03010KT 10SM FEW180 31/17 A3013
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.