Let L13 accident near Warren, Vermont, October 17, 1988
On October 17, 1988 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Let L13 (glider), registered CFYSR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warren, Vermont. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF FLIGHT, PERMITTED THE STUDENT TO NOT MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIRSPEED AND STALL THE GLIDER AND CRASH INTO THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1988 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Warren, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L13 · all L13s on the register
- Registration
- CFYSR · no longer on the register · serial 174028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WHILE THE STUDENT WAS FLYING THE GLIDER THE AIRSPEED GOT LOW, THE NOSE HIGH, AND THE RIGHT WING DROPPED 15 DEGREES BEFORE THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS. THE GLIDER DESCENDED, CRASHED, BOUNCED INTO THE AIR, AND CRASHED A SECOND TIME BEFORE TURNING 90 DEGREES COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND STOPPING.
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; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,912 hours in all; 326 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,398 as pilot in command; 452 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,552 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 8, 1988; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,104 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OB7 Warren VT at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.