Let SUPER BLANIK L-33 accident near New Castle, Virginia, May 15, 1994
On May 15, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Let SUPER BLANIK L-33 (glider), registered N23BR, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Castle, Virginia (New Castle airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS RESULTING IN FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE DURING THE APPROACH FOR LANDING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF GLIDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Castle, Virginia · New Castle
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let SUPER BLANIK L-33 SUPER BLAN
- Registration
- N23BR · registry record · serial 940208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD LESS THAN 1 HOUR OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL GLIDER. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, BETWEEN 100 AND 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND (AGL), TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED BY THE TOW PLANE AND THE GLIDER. DURING THE DOWNWIND CLIMB, AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL, AND 300 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, THE GLIDER PILOT RELEASED THE TOW. BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN ONTO THE BASE LEG AND CONTINUED THE TURN TO FINAL. THE PILOT ESTIMATED HIS SINK RATE ON FINAL AT 2600 FEET PER MINUTE. THE GLIDER LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, HIT TRACTOR RUTS, AND SKEWED ABOUT 80 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND STOPPED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE GLIDER SPOILERS DEPLOYED, FROM BASE LEG TO LANDING.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from ROA, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.