Let L-13 accident near Huntsville, Alabama, August 24, 1985
On August 24, 1985 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Let L-13 (glider), registered N99954, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntsville, Alabama (Sky Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1985 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Sky Park
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L-13 · all L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N99954 · no longer on the register · serial 025905
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PLT WAS IN TRAINING FOR A GLIDER RATING & WAS ON A SUPERVISED SOLO FLT TO PRACTICE A LANDING. DURING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, HE ROLLED OUT HI ON FINAL & EXTENDED THE SPOILERS TO ADJUST TO THE DESIRED GLIDE PATH, THEN RETRACTED THE SPOILERS TO THE 50% POSITION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE REALIZED HE WAS LOW & RETRACTED THE SPOILERS. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH A HEDGE ROW ABOUT 50 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT FELT THAT HIS EXPERIENCE FLYING POWERED ACFT MAY HAVE INTERFERED WITH HIS TRAINING IN GLIDERS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 955 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 692 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None L-13 (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 3,000 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N99954 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.