- Date
- October 27, 2019, 17:17 local (Oct 28, 2019, 00:17 UTC)
- Place
- Enumclaw, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N213TALet L13
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191027020469A
- Case key
- 100533
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 pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath, which resulted in a collision with trees.
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 reported that, after soaring atop ridgelines in a glider, he initiated an approach. During final, the pilot put the glider in a slip to lose altitude and intercept an "appropriate glideslope." However, the right wing impacted treetops and then came to rest inverted. The glider sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The glider pilot reported that, after soaring atop local ridgelines, he initiated an approach. During final, the pilot put the airplane in a slip to lose altitude and intercept an "appropriate glideslope." However, the glider's right wing collided with treetops and the glider came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N213TA
- Reported as
- Let L13 (AC)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 008606
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 2,141.35
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Puget Sound Soaring Association Inc
- Registered owner
- Puget Sound Soaring Association Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 3, 2018
- Departed
- WN76 · Enumclaw, WA
- Destination
- WN76 · Enumclaw, WA
- Airport
- WN76 · Bergseth Field, runway 10, 2,100 × 60 ft, dirt
- 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 14, 2018
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 38 total · 19 in this make and model · 16 as pilot in command
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 20, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 692 total · 51 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.37 inHg
- Observed at
- KZSE, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.