Let Blanik L-13 and Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan accident near Llano, California, April 13, 2007
On April 13, 2007 at about 10:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Let Blanik L-13 (N101JJ) and Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan (N505TW), were involved in the same accident near Llano, California (Crystal Airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll.
The failure of the other pilot to maintain directional control during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2007 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Llano, California · Crystal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Let Blanik L-13 · all Blanik L-13s on the register
- Registration
- N101JJ · registry record · serial 625301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan
- Registration
- N505TW · no longer on the register · serial 5EA82X33
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Let Blanik L-13 final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing his glider, a LET Blanik L-13, on 25L, while another glider, a DG 505 was positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505. The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway." A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing his glider, a LET Blanik L-13 on 25L, while another glider, a DG 505 was positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505. The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway." A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip.
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 for the Let Blanik L-13 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Dual student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 68 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,832 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,102 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 46CN Llano CA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: 46CN Llano CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,500 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PMD, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,903 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,653 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine:; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 46CN Llano CA
- Destination: 46CN Llano CA
- Runway 25, 4,500 ft by 250 ft
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA07LA101.