Let L 23 SUPER BLANIK accident near Huntsville, Alabama, March 1, 2020
On March 1, 2020 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1994 Let L 23 SUPER BLANIK (glider), registered N296BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Huntsville, Alabama (Moontown airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain glider control and his exceedance of the glider's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2020 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Moontown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L 23 SUPER BLANIK No Series, built 1994 · all L 23 SUPER BLANIKs on the register
- Registration
- N296BA · no longer on the register · serial 948117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the glider pilot, the purpose of the flight was to release from the tow about 300 ft above ground level, return to the airport, and land on the departure runway in the opposite direction, which would simulate the response to a "rope-break" emergency during the initial climb. After departure from the runway and release from the tow, the pilot completed a 270° turn on the north side of the runway and had to make another 90°, left base-to-final turn to return toward the runway. While still on the base leg, the glider encountered an 11-knot wind from the south, gusting to 18 knots. The pilot believed that the glider must have encountered "wind shear" as he "lost all elevator control," and the glider then impacted terrain. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who conducted a postaccident examination of the glider reported that he established flight control continuity. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider 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
- Other weather encounter during approach
- Loss of control in flight during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
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 › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,834 hours in all; 295 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,680 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 2019; 90 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 3M5 Huntsville AL
- Destination: 3M5 Huntsville AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,180 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KMDQ, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 23, 2020. 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 | Witness Statements | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record Flight Control Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 3 pages | 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.