SEA07LA101

NTSB accident investigation · Let Blanik L-13 · Llano, CA · April 13, 2007

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 13, 2007, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
Place
Llano, CA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N101JJLet Blanik L-13N505TWGlaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 30, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Van Nuys FSDO
Case key
65609

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The failure of the other pilot to maintain directional control during landing roll.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll.

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.

Collision between aircraft (other than midair)Landing - roll
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Collision between aircraft (other than midair)Standing
Directional control - not maintainedPilot of other aircraftCause

Analysis

In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing his glider, a LET Blanik L-13 on 25L, while another glider, a DG 505 was positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505. The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway." A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip.

In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing his glider, a LET Blanik L-13, on 25L, while another glider, a DG 505 was positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505. The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway." A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip.

Factual narrative

On April 13, 2007, at 1500 Pacific daylight time, a LET Blanik L-13, N101JJ, operated by Great Western Soaring School collided with a Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan, N505TW, during the landing roll at Crystal Airport, Llano, California. The DG 505 was preparing for departure at the time. The Blanik L-13 was flown by a student pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, while the DG 505 was to be flown by a certified flight instructor, as a sightseeing flight. Neither the student pilot nor the flight instructor was injured. The Blanik L-13 was returning from a flight that originated from Llano about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The Blanik L-13 was substantially damaged while the DG 505 received minor wingtip damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and neither pilot filed a flight plan.

The Crystal Airport has a dirt runway 250 feet wide (runway 7/25). Due to the width of the runway, it is common procedure for multiple aircraft to use the runway at one time. Under these conditions, pilots use the designators 25L or 25R for the area of the runway being used.

In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing on 25L, with the DG 505 positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505.

The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway."

A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip.

On April 13, 2007, at 1500 Pacific daylight time, a LET Blanik L-13, N101JJ, operated by Great Western Soaring School collided with a Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan, N505TW, during the landing roll at Crystal Airport, Llano, California. The DG 505 was preparing for departure at the time. The Blanik L-13 was flown by a student pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, while the DG 505 was to be flown by a certified flight instructor, as a sightseeing flight. Neither the student pilot nor the flight instructor was injured. The Blanik L-13 was returning from a flight that originated from Llano about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The Blanik L-13 was substantially damaged while the DG 505 received minor wingtip damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and neither pilot filed a flight plan.

The Crystal Airport has a dirt runway 250 feet wide (runway 7/25). Due to the width of the runway, it is common procedure for multiple aircraft to use the runway at one time. Under these conditions, pilots use the designators 25L or 25R for the area of the runway being used.

In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing on 25L, with the DG 505 positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505.

The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway."

A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N101JJ
Reported as
Let Blanik L-13
Category
Glider
Serial number
625301
Airframe hours
2,832
Engine
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Henrich G Brigentoff, doing business as Great Western Soaring School
Registered owner
Frederick J. Robinson
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · March 1, 2007
Departed
46CN · Llano, CA
Destination
46CN · Llano, CA
Airport
46CN · Crystal Airport, runway 25, 4,500 × 250 ft, dirt

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.

Registration
N505TW
Reported as
Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan
Category
Glider
Serial number
5EA82X33
Airframe hours
2,903
Engine
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · March 1, 2007
Departed
46CN · Llano, CA
Destination
46CN · Llano, CA
Airport
46CN · Crystal Airport, runway 25, 4,500 × 250 ft, asphalt

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Student pilot, aircraft N101JJ
Age
63
Injuries
None
Last flight review
March 1, 2007
Seat
Front
Flight hours
68 total · 5 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot, aircraft N505TW
Age
56
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Last flight review
August 1, 2006
Seat
Rear
Flight hours
11,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 10 °F
Altimeter
30.11 inHg
Observed at
PMD, 15 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N101JJ · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.