Let L-13 accident near Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1983
On July 24, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Let L-13 (glider), registered N32360, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania (Farmers Pride 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
- July 24, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania · Farmers Pride · 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
- N32360 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LIFT-OFF FROM A TOW TAKEOFF, THE TOWPLANE WAS UNABLE TO ATTAIN THE NORMAL TOW AIRSPEED OF 65 TO 75 MPH & CONTINUEDAT ABOUT 55 MPH. THE GLIDER PLT THOUGHT THE TOWPLANE WAS HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS, & AS THE TWO ACFT CIRCLED THE ARPT, THEGLIDER PLT RELEASED WHEN HE WAS SURE THE GLIDER COULD MAKE THE ARPT. AFTER RELEASE, THE GLIDER LOST AIRSPEED & ALTITUDE QUICKLY. DURING A FORCED LANDING INTO A CORN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE ARPT, THE PLT REACHED FOR THE SPOILERS & REALIZED THAT THE SPOILERS HAD BEEN EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE TAKEOFF.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 865 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 755 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,412 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 29, 1983; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,800 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.