Let BLANIK L-13 accident near Jonesboro, Arkansas, August 30, 1999
On August 30, 1999 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 (glider), registered N3255Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jonesboro, Arkansas (Classic Airstrip airport). It was a personal 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 misjudgment of distance/altitude during the final approach to landing, resulting in an undershoot, and collision with a power line pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1999 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jonesboro, Arkansas · Classic Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let BLANIK L-13 BLANIK L-1 · all BLANIK L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N3255Y · no longer on the register · serial 026304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider struck a power line support pole while on final approach for landing at a private airstrip. According to the pilot, the glider encountered a high rate of sink on final approach. He retracted the spoilers and flaps, and thought he was going to clear the power lines. However, the glider impacted the power line support pole with the right wing, and fell to the ground.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,061 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 1998; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,101 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE AR at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from JBR, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.