Aviation Accident Summary FTW99LA243

JONESBORO, AR, USA

Aircraft #1

N3255Y

Let BLANIK L-13

Analysis

The glider struck a power line support pole while on final approach for landing at a private airstrip. According to the pilot, the glider encountered a high rate of sink on final approach. He retracted the spoilers and flaps, and thought he was going to clear the power lines. However, the glider impacted the power line support pole with the right wing, and fell to the ground.

Factual Information

On August 30, 1999, approximately 1800 central daylight time, a Let Blanik L-13 glider, N3255Y, was substantially damaged when it impacted a power line support pole and terrain while on final approach to the Classic Airstrip near Jonesboro, Arkansas. The commercial pilot and his passenger were seriously injured. The glider was registered to the Classic Soaring Club of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated at 1745. During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he was "initially too high on final approach." He deployed the spoilers and flaps to lose some of the altitude. On short final, the glider encountered an "unexpected high rate of sink." The pilot added that he immediately retracted the spoilers and flaps and thought he "was going to clear the power lines," which ran across final approach. However, the glider impacted the power line support pole and fell to the ground. The glider came to rest upright facing the opposite direction from its final approach. According to the FAA inspector, who visited the accident site, the glider's right wing was broken about 5 feet inboard from the tip, and the fuselage area aft of the cockpit was buckled.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude during the final approach to landing, resulting in an undershoot, and collision with a power line pole.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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