Aerotechnik L-13 accident near Wichita, Kansas, June 20, 1996
On June 20, 1996 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Aerotechnik L-13, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N21400, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Jabara 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 inadequate in-flight planning. Factors were the insufficient altitude and the dead battery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1996 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotechnik L-13, amateur-built · all L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N21400 · no longer on the register · serial 930503
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In his written statement, the pilot of a motor glider reported that he climbed to 4,500 feet man sea level, shut down the engine, and soared for 15 minutes. When he attempted to restart the engine, the 'battery did not have enough power to operate the starter.' He landed in a field three miles east of the destination airport. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who examined the wreckage reported that the motor glider was substantially damaged when it hit ditches.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,880 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,770 as pilot in command; 870 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Microal MARK IV (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3KM at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 3KM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from 3KM, 3 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.