Let BLANIK L-13 accident near Jean, Nevada, April 6, 1996
On April 6, 1996 at about 11:17 pm local time, a Let BLANIK L-13 (glider), registered N65379, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jean, Nevada (Jean 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 pilot's poorly planned approach. The flight's encounter with a downdraft is a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1996 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Jean, Nevada · Jean · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let BLANIK L-13 BLANIK L-1 · all BLANIK L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N65379 · no longer on the register · serial J026633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After being aero towed to 2,000 feet agl, the pilot was unable to find adequate thermal activity and returned to the airport and entered the traffic pattern at 800 feet agl. The pilot encountered a high sink rate on final approach and landed short of the runway. The glider collided with the airport boundary fence. The pilot said that the accident could have been prevented if he had shortened the base leg turn. He also said that the glider did not experience any preimpact malfunctions or failures.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 489 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,961 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1996; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0L7 at 10:02 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.