Blanik L-13 accident near Saratoga Spring, New York, May 5, 2002
On May 5, 2002 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Blanik L-13 (glider), registered N711KR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga Spring, New York (Saratoga Springs airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The glider encountering an unanticipated downdraft, which resulted in insufficient altitude to reach a suitable landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2002 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga Spring, New York · Saratoga Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Blanik L-13
- Registration
- N711KR · registry record · serial 175127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After flying for approximately 1/2 hour, the flight instructor told the student to proceed back to the airport, and enter the traffic pattern. En route, the glider encountered a "heavy sink." The instructor checked the variometer and noted a 1,000-foot per minute descent. He then told the student to increase airspeed in an attempt to fly out of the sink. The instructor then realized they would not make the airport. He took the controls, and because of insufficient altitude to maneuver, setup for a downwind landing to a softball field. The glider touched down in the field, and the instructor executed a ground loop to the left to avoid hitting a fence. No significant weather was reported for the accident time and location.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,090 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command; 420 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Last flight review: March 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,242.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B2 Saratoga Spring NY at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 5B2
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from ALB, 187 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N711KR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC02LA092.