Let L 33 SOLO accident near Wakefield, Virginia, August 17, 2011
On August 17, 2011 at about 4:26 pm local time, a Let L 33 SOLO (glider), registered N388BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Wakefield, Virginia. 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’s encounter with atmospheric conditions where the lift was not sufficient to maintain flight, resulting in an off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2011 · about 4:26 pm local time
- Place
- Wakefield, Virginia · 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 · all L 33 SOLOs on the register
- Registration
- N388BA · no longer on the register · serial 010514
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the glider was at 2,500 feet as he searched for lift and a suitable off-airport landing site simultaneously. Shortly thereafter, the glider lost lift, and the pilot landed in a soybean field. During the landing, the glider touched down 1/4 mile short of the planned touchdown point and ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of lift during maneuvering
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 3VA8 Windsor VA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 3VA8 Windsor VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from AKQ, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N388BA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA11CA465.