- Date
- August 17, 2011, 12:26 local (16:26 UTC)
- Place
- Wakefield, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N388BALet L 33 Solo
- Defining event
- Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110817019129A
- Case key
- 81543
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 glider’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, resulting in an off-airport landing.
Findings · 3
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 stated that the glider was at 2,500 feet as he searched for lift and a suitable off-airport landing site simultaneously. Shortly thereafter, the glider lost lift, and the pilot landed in a soybean field. During the landing, the glider touched down 1/4 mile short of the planned touchdown point and ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that the glider was at 2,500 feet as he neared the completion of the second leg of his three-leg cross-country flight. He searched for lift and a suitable off-airport landing site simultaneously, in case he was unable to find lift. The glider encountered sink, and the pilot completed a landing to a soybean field. The glider touched down one-quarter mile prior to the point of intended landing and ground-looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N388BA
- Reported as
- Let L 33 Solo
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 010514
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tidewater Soaring Society
- Registered owner
- Tidewater Soaring Society
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- 3VA8 · Windsor, VA
- Destination
- 3VA8 · Windsor, VA
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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 630 total · 4 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- AKQ, 5 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 440 KB 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.
Other investigations on N388BA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.