# NTSB MIA00LA165: Let L-13, N90867, Pensacola, FL, May 22, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 22, 2000, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Pensacola, FL - Location: 30.4410° N, 87.1912° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pensacola, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4410&lon=-87.1912&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49257 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49257/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA165 ## Probable cause The student's failure to maintain the proper landing pattern altitude resulting in an undershoot during landing and collision with a fence. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to realize the spoilers were still deployed during the undershoot. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spoiler extension - not corrected, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - object - fence ## Analysis According to the student glider pilot, as well as his CFI who was observing from the ground, his base turn from the downwind leg was made at too low an altitude and too late, relative to his position in the landing pattern, to allow for arrival at the runway with sufficient altitude and airspeed for a safe landing. Contributing to the low and slow condition on final approach was the pilot's failure to realize the spoilers were still deployed. The glider collided with an airport perimeter fence short of the runway causing substantial damage. ## Factual narrative On May 22, 2000, about 1400 central daylight time, a Let Blanik L-13, N90867, registered to the Coastal Soaring Association, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed while attempting a landing in the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The glider received substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the same airport about 1 hour before the accident. According to the pilot, he misjudged the point at which he should begin his turn for final approach to Coastal Airport's runway 36, and as a result ended up low and slow short of the runway. He collided with a barbed-wire airport perimeter fence, shearing off the horizontal stabilizer and bending both wing spars. According to the student's instructor, he observed the glider's entry to the landing pattern and thought the flight's altitude was lower than normal. Instead of adjusting the pattern for the low condition, the student flew the downwind leg for the full length of the runway, resulting in a very low condition on final approach. The CFI stated that the student failed to recognize that the spoilers were deployed. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot stated he had difficulty seeing the midfield windsock to determine wind conditions, elected to duplicate the tow plane's pattern, and ended up on final approach in a low and slow condition. Examination of the wreckage revealed the spoilers were still in the deployed position as well as the cockpit control handle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90867](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90867-2021-12-08), registration cancelled 2021-12-08, S/N 025727, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LET L-13 - Registry model: [Let BLANIK L-13](https://openairdocs.org/model/let-blanik-l-13) (registry code 1360306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 025727 - Airframe hours: 1986 - Engines: unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Coastal Soaring Association - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 3, 1999, 84 hours before - Departed: 83J, PENSACOLA, FL - Airport: 83J, Coastal Airport, runway 36, 2,500 × 300 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; student; seat: front; flight hours: 46 total, 18 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 3 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: 88 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PNS, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000522006309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000522006309A), May 22, 2000: Let L13BLANIK, Pensacola, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) During landing, student pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed and altitude to clear a five foot fence on the south end of the landing strip.… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.