DEN84FA161

NTSB accident investigation · Let L-13 · Edgewood, NM · May 26, 1984

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
May 26, 1984, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC)
Place
Edgewood, NM
Injuries
1 fatal, 1 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N48032Let L-13
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19840526034809A
Case key
16216

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

In flight collision with objectManeuvering
Planned approach - improperPilot in commandCause
Airspeed - excessivePilot in command
Altitude - excessivePilot in command
Lack of familiarity with aircraftPilot in commandFactor
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in command
Clearance - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Object - aircraft parked/standing
In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

Witnesses reported that the acft appeared to be too high, too fast, and in a crab as it approached the rwy. Over the rwy the glider was observed to roll into a right turn as the nose came up. Shortly thereafter the right wing struck 3 parked acft and collided with the terrain. During an interview on the evening of the accident the pilot stated that due to a high fast apch he attempted a right 270 degree turn in order to land to the north, just prior to the accident. In a written statement submitted on 6-25-84 the pilot refers to control inputs from the passenger in the front seat causing the abnormal approach and an uncommanded nose high attitude just before collision with the parked glider. The pilots logs reflect 3 hrs in this make and model glider. He stated that he had flown similiar gliders in the late 1960'S and had about 3.5 total hrs in the acft. He further reported to investigators that he was used to flying another glider in which 90 degree flaps allowed steeper approaches and more rapid descents.

Aircraft

Registration
N48032
Reported as
Let L-13
Category
Glider
Serial number
026035
Airframe hours
1,245
Engine
unknown
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Part 91
Operator
New Mexico Soaring Ranch
Registered owner
Etchison G. Lill
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · May 10, 1984 · 9 hours before
Departed
Edgewood, NM
Airport
New Mexico Soaring Ranch, runway 9, 5,280 × 400 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
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Rear
Flight hours
3,224 total · 4 in this make and model · 2,770 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 9 knots
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
ABQ, 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.

Other investigations on N48032 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.