# NTSB DEN02LA095: Let Blanik L-13, N48038, Lehi, UT, July 23, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 23, 2002, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Lehi, UT - Coordinates: 40.356945, -112.018058 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3569&lon=-112.0181&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 55511 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN02LA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55511/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55511 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA095 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning resulting in the glider impacting terrain short of the runway, and the pilot's subsequent abrupt handling of the glider when it became airborne again, which resulted in a hard second landing. A contributing factor was the downdraft weather condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - berm - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft handling - abrupt, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The glider pilot said that he approached the north end of runway 17 for landing. He said "there is a nominal amount of sinking air at all times near the North end of the runway. The day of the incident the sink was far greater than expected." He said that he landed approximately 200 feet short of the runway, and impacted a 3 foot high berm next to an irrigation ditch (which ran perpendicular to the runway) at approximately 50 knots. The glider was "catapulted" over the ditch. The pilot immediately nosed the aircraft down to avoid a stall. "The glider landed flat and hard, crushing the landing gear, then skidding to a halt 75 feet past the runway apron." The glider's keel beam and wing spars were broken. ## Factual narrative On July 23, 2002, at approximately 1400 mountain daylight time, a LET Blanik L-13 glider, N48038, was destroyed during a hard landing at Cedar Valley Airpark (private), Lehi, Utah. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The Associated Glider Club of Southern California, Ltd., was operating the glider under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal local flight which originated approximately 30 minutes before the accident. The pilot had not filed a flight plan. The pilot said that he approached the north end of runway 17 for landing. He said "there is a nominal amount of sinking air at all times near the North end of the runway. The day of the incident the sink was far greater than expected." He said that he landed approximately 200 feet short of the runway, and impacted a 3 foot high berm next to an irrigation ditch (which ran perpendicular to the runway) at approximately 50 knots. The glider was "catapulted" over the ditch. The pilot immediately nosed the aircraft down to avoid a stall. "The glider landed flat and hard, crushing the landing gear, then skidding to a halt 75 feet past the runway apron." The glider's keel beam and wing spars were broken. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48038](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48038-2023-06-17), registration cancelled 2023-06-17, S/N 026047, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LET BLANIK L-13 - Registry model: [Let BLANIK L-13](https://openairdocs.org/model/let-blanik-l-13) (registry code 1360306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 026047 - Airframe hours: 1131 - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Brent Davis - Registered owner: Assoc. Glider Club of So CA LTD. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 26, 2002 - Departed: PRIV, Lehi, UT - Airport: NONE, Cedar Valley Airpark, runway 17, 4,700 × 75 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; private; seat: front; flight hours: 85 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 11 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: SLC, 27 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020723019949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020723019949A), Jul 23, 2002: Let L13BLANIK, Lehi, UT, Substantial damage. (.19) On July 23, 2002, at approximately 1500 mountain daylight time, a Let blanik L-13 glider, N48038, was destroyed when it impacted a dirt berm during an… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55511. 597 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 564 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463623&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172545&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.