# NTSB NYC08LA168: Let Blanik L-13, N90870, Dansville, NY, April 19, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 19, 2008, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Dansville, NY - Coordinates: 42.570835, -77.712776 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5708&lon=-77.7128&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 5, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 67880 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08LA168 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67880/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA168 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to attain the proper glide path and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident was the encountered headwind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Let BLANIK L-13, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=1360306), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Let BLANIK L-13, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1360306), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Let BLANIK L-13, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=1360306), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Let BLANIK L-13, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=1360306), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370) (defining event); cases with it: [Let BLANIK L-13, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=1360306), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Let BLANIK L-13, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1360306), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor was conducting a glider familiarization flight with the private pilot, who had not flown in a glider for about 3 years. The private pilot entered the traffic pattern for the grass landing area adjacent to runway 14. The flight instructor stated that the private pilot was "a little reluctant" to remove the dive brakes and that the instructor removed them while on final approach at 600 feet above ground level. He further stated that the glider encountered a wind gradient that substantially reduced the glider's glide ratio. The glider subsequently landed short of the desired touchdown point and the left wing struck a tree. The glider came to rest about 100 feet before the runway. The private pilot stated that she felt the glider was "too high" until she turned onto the final approach path and realized it was actually "too low." Winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 140 degrees at 15 knots. ## Factual narrative On April 19, 2008, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a Let Blanik L-13 glider, N90870, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while landing at the Dansville Municipal Airport (DSV), Dansville, New York. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and the certificated private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight instructor was conducting a familiarization flight with the private pilot, who had not flown in a glider for about 3 years. According to the CFI, the glider was towed to an altitude of the 2,000 feet and released. The private pilot was flying and subsequently entered the traffic pattern for the grass landing area adjacent to runway 14, a 3,500-foot-long, by 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The turn from the base leg to the final approach course was performed at an altitude of approximately 700 feet above ground level (agl). The CFI stated that the private pilot was "a little reluctant" to remove the dive brakes and he removed them at 600 feet agl. He further stated: "At this point in the flight the runway touchdown point appeared ok, so we continued. As we approached approximately 200 [feet] agl we began to sink, so I was forced to take over the controls. We encountered a wind gradient which substantially reduced the glide ratio of the aircraft, which resulted in landing short of the desired touchdown point. The left-hand wind struck a tree which ground-looped the aircraft and we came to a full stop facing the opposite direction of landing...." The glider came to rest about 100 feet prior to the runway and sustained substantial damage to its left wing and fuselage. The private pilot stated that she felt the glider was "too high" until she turned onto the final approach path and realized it was "too low." The CFI reported 7,679 hours of total flight experience which included 145 hours in gliders. The private pilot reported 300 hours of total flight experience, all in gliders. Neither pilot reported any mechanical malfunctions of the glider during the accident flight. A weather observation taken at DSV, at 1554, reported: wind from 140 degrees at 15 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 29 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 2 degrees C, altimeter 29.82 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90870](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90870-2018-03-07), registration cancelled 2018-03-07, S/N 025801, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LET Blanik 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: 025801 - Airframe hours: 2299 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Finger Lakes Soaring Club - Registered owner: Finger Lakes Soaring Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 2008 - Departed: DSV, Dansville, NY - Destination: Dansville, NY - Airport: DSV, Dansville Municipal, runway 14, 3,500 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 10, 2007; seat: rear; flight hours: 7,679 total, 100 in this make and model, 3,493 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; private; seat: front; flight hours: 300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: DSV ## 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 20080419843119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080419843119A), Apr 19, 2008: Let L13BLANIK, Dansville, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) The second pilot, [privacy data omitted] was flying the glider. After an aero-tow, pilot attempted to find thermal activity south of airport. Very little… 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.