Let BLANIK L-13 accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts, April 23, 1994
On April 23, 1994 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 (glider), registered N2167, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts (Plymouth Municipal Aprt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1994 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Massachusetts · Plymouth Municipal Aprt
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let BLANIK L-13 BLANIK L-1 · all BLANIK L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N2167 · no longer on the register · serial 173460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST. HE STATED THE WIND '...BLEW MY RIGHT WING UP AND OVER INTO A SPIN.' HE RECOVERED ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE TREE TOPS, BUT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO REACH THE AIRPORT AND THE GLIDER STRUCK TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE 'CARRIED MORE SPEED.'
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 424 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Plymouth Aviation Soaring
The flight
- Departed from: PLY at 6:30 pm
- Destination: PLY MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,501 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 13 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from FMH, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.