Let L-13 accident near California City, California, April 2, 1983
On April 2, 1983 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Let L-13 (glider), registered N99965, was substantially damaged in an accident near California City, California (California City Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1983 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · California City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L-13 · all L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N99965 · no longer on the register · serial 025918
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT, THE GLIDER SUSTAINED IN-FLT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WHILE MANEUVERING AT AN ALTITUDE OF APRX 17,500 FT MSL IN THE VICINITY OF CALIFORNIA CITY, CA. DURING A PRELIMINARY VERBAL STATEMENT TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD DONE A COUPLE OF LOOPS. HE SAID HE HAD JUST RECOVERED TO LEVEL FLT WHEN HE HEARD A COUPLE OF LOUD BANGS, THEN FELT A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE CONTROLS. LATER, THE PLT INSISTED THAT NO AEROBATIC MANEUVERS WERE PERFORMED, BUT THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTER TURBULENCE & HAD 'FLOWN THRU A ROTOR.' WRINKLES WERE FOUND IN THE SKIN ON THE AFT FUSELAGE & EMPENNAGE, THE VERTICLE STABILIZER WAS DEFORMED & THE LEFT HORIZONAL STABILIZER & ELEVATOR HAD SEVERAL AREAS OF DEFORMATION. SURFACE WINDS IN THE AREA WERE FROM 270 DEG AT 22 GUSTING 28 KTS. PEAK SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM 290 DEG AT 42 KTS. STANDING LENTICULAR CLOUDS WERE REPORTED TOPPING THE MOUNTAINS & SIGMET JULIET 4 WAS IN EFFECT CAUTIONING OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 16,000 FT MSL.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 613 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1982; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L71 California City CA at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 22 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from WJF, 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.