FTW87LA199

NTSB accident investigation · Let L-13 · Littlefield, TX · August 16, 1987

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report

Date: August 16, 1987, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place: Littlefield, TX
Injuries: 2 uninjured
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Maneuvering
Aircraft: N9997QLet L-13
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed · report June 16, 1989
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19870816045699A
Case key: 22418

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

On this page

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.

Loss of control - in flightManeuvering - turn to reverse direction

Lowering of flaps - inadvertentPilot in commandCause

Spoiler extension - not performedPilot in commandCause

Maneuver - performedPilot in command

Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The pilot activated the flaps while on final approach instead of the spoilers. When the glider did not descend as he expected, a left 360 degree turn was initiated to lose altitude. The pilot stated that he then unintentionally stalled the aircraft while in the left turn and collided with the ground short of the runway.

Aircraft

Registration: N9997Q
Reported as: Let L-13
Category: Glider
Serial number: 026010
Airframe hours: 14
Engine: None NONE, unknown
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Operator: Cap Rock Soaring Club
Registered owner: The Caprock Soaring Club Inc.
Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
Airport: Q00 · Littlefield Municipal, runway 1, 4,000 × 60 ft, asphalt

N9997QRegistration cancelled Jan 7, 1992 · Let BLANIK L-13S/N 026010 Airframe modelLet BLANIK L-13

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: 57
Certificate: Commercial
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Rear
Flight hours: 1,298 total · 14 in this make and model · 1,080 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind: 360° at 4 knots
Visibility: 15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19870816045699ALet L13BLANIK · Littlefield, TXActivated flaps instead of spoilers on approach. Too high began a turn to lose altitude and stalled the glider.Aug 16, 1987 · N9997Q · Substantial damage