- Date
- April 13, 1985, 16:55 local (21:55 UTC)
- Place
- Mansfield, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N90862Let L-13
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 35854
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt reported that he turned onto final apch at about 500 ft AGL & the pattern was normal until he was about 1/3 mi from the rwy threshold. The glider then began to sink rapidly. The plt realized that he would be unable to glide to the rwy, so he decided to land as soon as possible to avoid a ditch near the threshold. He extended full spoilers & landed on rough terrain. The left wing hit a large mound of dirt, damaging the glider. The plt believed that he may have encountered wind shear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90862
- Reported as
- Let L-13
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 025723
- Airframe hours
- 1,224
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mit Soaring Association
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 18, 1984 · 63 hours before
- Airport
- 1B9 · Mansfield, runway 14, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,243 total · 9 in this make and model · 1,136 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F