- Date
- September 5, 1995, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- White Bear Lake, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N99970Let L-23 Super Blanik
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 10020
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 delayed retraction of the spoilers. Factors were the excessive sink rate and the power lines.
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was on final approach when he experienced 'quick' and 'unexpected' altitude loss. The landing gear impacted a power line. The wire broke but the glider descended onto a road. No evidence of preimpact malfunction was discovered. The pilot wrote 'I question whether I actually retracted the spoilers. This may account for the excess loss of altitude.'
Factual narrative
On September 5, 1995, at 1645 central daylight time, a Let L-23 Super Blanik, N99970, operated by the Redwing Soaring Association, sustained substantial damage when it impacted power lines during final approach in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The private pilot reported no injuries. The local, personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he was on final approach and extended the spoilers to reduce his altitude. He thought he retracted the spoilers. He experienced "quick" and "unexpected" altitude loss. The landing gear impacted a power line. The wire broke but the glider descended onto a road. He wrote "I question whether I actually retracted the spoilers. This may account for the excess loss of altitude."
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who examined the wreckage, no evidence of preimpact malfunction was discovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99970
- Reported as
- Let L-23 Super Blanik (L-23 SUPER)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 026012
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Redwing Soaring Association
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 72
- Certificate
- Private
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 83 total · 25 in this make and model · 48 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots, gusting 3
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
Other investigations on N99970 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.