Let L-13 accident near Wallsburg, Utah, July 27, 1991
On July 27, 1991 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Let L-13 (glider), registered N2NV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wallsburg, Utah (Heber Valley 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 IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH DOWNDRAFT WINDS AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE AREA FOR A LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1991 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wallsburg, Utah · Heber Valley · 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
- N2NV · no longer on the register · serial 175220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER FLT ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFT WINDS AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH AN ARPT OR SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. THE ACFT STRUCK VEGETATION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,725 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 1,487 as pilot in command; 948 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: High Valley Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 36U Heber City UT at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from SLC, 35 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2NV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.