MIA99LA193

The glider landed in a filed north of the runway about 2,000 feet short of the intended touchdown point. According to the Certified flight instructor (CFI), pilot-in-command, the aircraft entered a left base for runway 21, and turned final about 3-4,000 feet from the runway, at an altitude of about 800 agl. He instructed the student pilot to deploy the spoilers in order to get down to glideslope, and maintained pattern speed of 50 knots. The CFI took control of the glider. He said the glider started to sink fast, and the airspeed was 43 knots. The spoilers were closed, but the CFI said, '...we were too low to make the runway...I made a descending right turn while deploying the spoilers and slowing...the only option was a small pasture less then 300 feet long with...trees at the far end and a ditch...I stalled at about 2-3 feet above the ground with the right wing slightly down, still turning. The plane pivoted around the right wing tip and stopped in about 60 feet.'

On July 10, 1999, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Let Blanik L-13 glider, N90842, registered to the Mid Georgia Soaring Association Inc., collided with the terrain while on approach to the Monroe-Walton County Airport, Monroe, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local instructional flight. The glider was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot, certified flight instructor (CFI), and private-rated student pilot reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at 1345.

The glider was on approach to runway 21, and landed about 2,000 feet short of the intended touchdown point, in a field north of the runway. According to the CFI, at an altitude of about 1,000-1,100 agl [above ground level]. The flight entered a left base for runway 21. He felt they were possibly going to be low of if they had entered at mid field. He stated, "...we turned final about 3-4,000 feet from intended landing about 800 agl...I required [the student pilot] to deploy spoilers and get down to glideslope and maintain pattern speed (50 knots). At about this time I took over the flying. At 2,000 feet [from the runway] we started to sink fast. After a few seconds I noticed the airspeed to be 43 knots. Spoilers were closed and stuck forward, but we were too low to make the runway over the powerlines. I made a descending right turn while deploying the spoilers and slowing...the only option was a small pasture less then 300 feet long with pecan trees at the far end and a ditch across the south half of it. I stalled at about 2-3 feet above the ground with the right wing slightly down, still turning. The plane pivoted around the right wing tip and stopped in about 60 feet."

The FAA's report indicated that this was an instructional flight and that after being released from the tow plane the pilot performed a 360-degree turn and headed back to the airport to enter a base leg. According to the FAA's report, "...[the] instructor then stated that he saw that they were not going to make the airport. And landed in a field approximately 2,000 feet short of the runway...the glider...impacted the ground in a high rate of sink with spoilers deployed...instructors misuse of glider airspeed, energy, and altitude awareness caused the aircraft to undershoot the runway and land off airport. Instructors misuse of spoilers caused the aircraft to impact the ground in a high rate of sink...."