- Date
- July 21, 2017, 12:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Deatsville, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N342BALet L23
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170721009139A
- Case key
- 95635
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees and power lines while landing.
Findings · 4
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 Chief of Safety for the operator reported that the student pilot was on a solo flight in a glider and on the return leg to the airport when he noticed that he "seemed to be sinking quickly." While talking with his instructor over the radio and scanning for an open field, he decided to land on a street in a nearby neighborhood. While on approach, the glider struck tree tops and then a power line. Subsequently, the glider rolled to the right and the right wing struck the ground. The glider came to rest on the right side of the fuselage and the student pilot exited the glider. The glider sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The Chief of Safety reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 8 nautical miles from the accident site reported, about the time of the accident, wind calm, temperature 91°F, dew point 75°F, and altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.
Factual narrative
The Chief of Safety for the operator reported that, the student pilot was on a solo flight, and on the return leg to the airport, the student pilot noticed that he "seemed to be sinking quickly." While talking with his instructor over the radio and scanning for an open field, he decided to land on a street in a nearby neighborhood. While on approach, the glider struck tree tops and then a powerline. Subsequently, the glider rolled to the right and the right wing struck the ground. The glider came to rest on the right side of the fuselage and the student pilot exited the glider. The glider sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The Chief of Safety reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 8 nautical miles from the accident site reported, about the time of the accident, wind calm, temperature 91°F, dew point 75°F, and barometric 30.04" Hg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N342BA
- Reported as
- Let L23 (Super Blan)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 998418
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 1,008
- Engine
- none
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 23, 2017
- Departed
- 08A · Deatsville, AL
- Destination
- 08A · Deatsville, AL
- Airport
- 08A · Wetumpka Muni
- Equipment
- None
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
- 16
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 21 total · 20 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KMXF, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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 N342BA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.