Let L-13 accident near Oxford, Michigan, May 26, 1990
On May 26, 1990 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Let L-13 (glider), registered N9297Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxford, Michigan. 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 GLIDER PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE TOUCHDOWN AND LANDING ROLL. THE POORLY EXECUTED APPROACH TO LANDING, AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1990 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Michigan · 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
- N9297Z · registry record · serial 026505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE HIS APPROACH TO THE LANDING AREA WITH FLAPS, A CONFIGURATION HE WAS NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH; AS A RESULT, HE MISJUDGED THE APPROACH AND LANDED LONG. THE LANDING STRIP WAS DESCRIBED AS HILLY WITH ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN, AND IT WAS SOFT IN SPOTS FROM RECENT RAINS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, HE ENCOUNTERED A 'SHARP BUMP . . . A SIDEWAYS MOTION, THE LEFT WING WENT DOWN AND THE SHIP GROUND LOOPED.'
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: 98 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Oxford MI at 6:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N9297Z 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.