Let L 33 SOLO accident near Adelanto, California, August 6, 2010
On August 6, 2010 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Let L 33 SOLO (glider), registered N315BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Adelanto, California (Krey Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to make it to the airport as a result of his inadequate planning for the gusting headwinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2010 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Adelanto, California · Krey Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L 33 SOLO · all L 33 SOLOs on the register
- Registration
- N315BA · registry record · serial 970415
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after a normal release about 2 miles north of the airport at 3,000 feet, he turned the glider south towards the airport. Approximately 1 mile from the airport the glider encountered strong winds from the south and it entered a high rate of descent with minimal forward motion. The pilot determined the glider would not make the airport and he executed an off-airport landing. During the landing, the right wing struck a bush and the glider ground-looped, substantially damaging its wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe prior to the accident. An airport located about 9 miles to the east of the accident airport indicated at the time of the accident wind was from 180 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of lift during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 207 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 7, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 0CL1 Adelanto CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: 0CL1 Adelanto CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from KVCV, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 WPR10CA389.