Let L 33 SOLO accident near Kingman, Kansas, September 1, 2024
On September 1, 2024 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 1993 Let L 33 SOLO (glider), registered N133LB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kingman, Kansas (N/A airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of control on short final.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2024 · about 9:20 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Kingman, Kansas · N/A · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L 33 SOLO, built 1993 · all L 33 SOLOs on the register
- Registration
- N133LB · registry record · serial 930202
- 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 during the local glider flight, he was unable to find sufficient lift to remain airborne. He selected a field that was within gliding distance and setup for landing. However, on short final, he became fixated on a small tree in the glide path. The airspeed decreased, and the glider entered an inadvertent aerodynamic stall. The subsequent impact with the terrain resulted in damage to the left wing spar and aft fuselage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures which precluded normal operation of the glider.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 57 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 594.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2024; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 9K8 Kingman KS at 7:50 pm
- Destination: 9K8 Kingman KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KICT, 30 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KICT 012053Z 03010KT 10SM FEW180 31/17 A3013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot / Glider Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N133LB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Let L 33 40 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Let 178 aircraft on the register
- Kingman/Clyde Cessna Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Kansas 1,146 since 1982 · 149 in the last ten years
- Kansas 5,738 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN24LA331.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.