Let L 33 SOLO accident near Sparks, Nevada, May 22, 2011
On May 22, 2011 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Let L 33 SOLO (glider), registered N278BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sparks, Nevada (Air Sailing Gliderport 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 failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2011 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sparks, Nevada · Air Sailing Gliderport · 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
- N278BA · registry record · serial 940207
- 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 an uneventful cross-country flight he returned to the airport to land with a 5- to 7-knot headwind down the runway. A witness stated that during the landing flare, at a height of approximately 5 feet, the pilot appeared to be at a high angle of attack. Subsequently, the airplane appeared to stall and land hard on the runway, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Sierra Fliers LLC
The flight
- Departed from: NV23 Sparks NV at 6:30 pm
- Destination: NV23 Sparks NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,200 ft; scat at 6,200 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 WPR11CA231.