Let L-13 accident near White Bear Lake, Minnesota, October 8, 1986
On October 8, 1986 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Let L-13 (glider), registered N142AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near White Bear Lake, Minnesota (Benson 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 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
- October 8, 1986 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- White Bear Lake, Minnesota · Benson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L-13 · all L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N142AS · registry record · serial 027062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RWY 30 AT APRX 900 FT AND COMPLETED A RIGHT TURN TO BASE. THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE ON BASE, HE REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOO HIGH AND DEPLOYED THE SPOILERS HALFWAY. AS HE TURNED TO FINAL, HE STATED THAT HE WAS TOO LOW AND AT THAT POINT OBSERVED THE AIRSPEED DROPPING TO THE STALL POINT. IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A STALL, THE PLT LOWERED THE ACFT NOSE AND REALIZED THAT HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE ARPT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE THEN FLEW UNDER POWER LINES AND DELIBERATELY STRUCK A POWER LINE POLE WITH THE RIGHT WING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FT AGL, IN ORDER TO DISSAPATE ENERGY. APPROXIMATELY 10 FT OF THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WING WAS SEVERED FROM THE ACFT AS IT ROTATED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND DROPPED ABOUT 15 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A SWAMP ABOUT 200 YARDS FROM THE ARPT. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE CLEARLY OBSERVED THE GLIDER'S SPOILERS IN A FULLY DEPLOYED POSITION WHEN THE ACFT ROLLED OUT ON FINAL.
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: student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 910 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 22, 1986; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from MSP, 107 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.