Let L 23 SUPER BLANIK accident near Sylacauga, Alabama, August 17, 2014
On August 17, 2014 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1993 Let L 23 SUPER BLANIK (glider), registered N266SE, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Sylacauga, Alabama (Merkel Field Sylacauga Muni). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to properly assess her physical condition prior to conducting the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2014 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Sylacauga, Alabama · Merkel Field Sylacauga Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L 23 SUPER BLANIK, built 1993 · all L 23 SUPER BLANIKs on the register
- Registration
- N266SE · no longer on the register · serial 938107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was maneuvering the glider to land at the conclusion of a local solo flight. While turning to allow for spacing with another glider in the airport traffic pattern, the pilot "vaguely" recalled the glider entering an aerodynamic stall. The glider subsequently impacted a tree, resulting in serious injury to the student pilot and substantial damage to the glider. Two witnesses observed the accident glider in the traffic pattern, and both recounted that it entered a right spin before descending to ground impact. The pilot stated that her preflight inspection of the glider revealed no anomalies and that the glider performed normally throughout the flight. She further stated that she felt nauseated the morning of the accident, had taken an over-the-counter decongestant medication, and was not properly hydrated before or during the flight.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › (general) › Pilot
Dual student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,896 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 925 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Central Alabama Soaring Association
The flight
- Departed from: SCD Sylacauga AL at 7:50 pm
- Destination: SCD Sylacauga AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:35 pm from ALX, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on November 13, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | CFI Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 1 - Glider at Rest (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 2 - Fuselage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.