- Date
- July 15, 1999, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Jacksonville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N254BALet L-23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990715022379A
- Case key
- 46835
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 improper in-flight decisions allowing the glider to descend to a low altitude, resulting in a forced landing off the airport and subsequent impact with a tree.
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.
Analysis
The glider was towed about 5 miles north of the departure airport to an altitude of about 2,300 feet above ground level (agl). After soaring for about 20 minutes, the pilot decided to return to the airport. When the flight was about 5 miles from the airport at 1,600 feet agl, the pilot said, '...he encountered heavy sink, of about 400 to 500 feet per minute.' He elected to performed a 180 degree turn to reach a field for landing, but could not reach the intended landing area. He elected to stall into a tree to avoid homes.
Factual narrative
On July 15, 1999, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Let L-23 glider, N254BA, registered to the North Florida Soaring Society Inc., collided with a tree during a forced landing near Herlong Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local personal flight. The glider was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport about 1340.
According to the pilot the tow airplane released the glider about 5 miles north of the departure airport at an altitude of about 2,300 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot stated, "...we soared for about 20 minutes, then traveled west for about 3 miles, when I decided to return to [the] airport. We were 5 miles at 1,600 feet agl. On return I encountered heavy sink, 400 to 500 feet per minute, I made a 180 [turn] to reach a field for landing, but could not reach it. I elected to stall into a tree to avoid homes."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N254BA
- Reported as
- Let L-23
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 917803
- Airframe hours
- 170
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- North Florida Soaring Society
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 12, 1999 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- 23J
- Airport
- 23J · Herlong
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
- 62
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,264 total · 110 in this make and model · 3,187 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAX
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 N254BA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.