Let L-13 Blanik accident near Highland, Illinois, August 16, 2003
On August 16, 2003 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Let L-13 Blanik (glider), registered N302SL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Highland, Illinois (Highland-Winet Airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to extend the spoilers and his inadvertent use of the flaps during final approach, which resulted in the proper touchdown point being exceeded due to excessive airspeed. A factor to the accident was the dirt mound.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2003 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Highland, Illinois · Highland-Winet Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L-13 Blanik · all L-13 Blaniks on the register
- Registration
- N302SL · registry record · serial 026442
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider overran the end of the runway while landing and impacted a dirt mound. The pilot reported that he was obtaining flight instruction for the addition of a glider rating and the accident occurred during his first solo flight. The pilot stated the flight was uneventful until he turned onto final approach. The pilot reported that he was high on final and had to slip to lose altitude. The pilot stated that during the slip the glider had "picked up some airspeed." The pilot reported that the glider landed "long, fast, and as a result hit the mound at the edge of the airport perimeter dirt road." The pilot stated that several witnesses recalled not seeing the spoilers deployed during the final approach and landing. The pilot surmised that he had mistakenly repositioned his hand on the flap lever and as a result had been raising and lowering the flaps instead of the spoilers.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 5, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H07 Highland IL at 3:40 pm
- Destination: H07 Highland IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,692 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from CPS, 27 miles away
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.
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.