Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK accident near Minden, Nevada, June 3, 2023
On June 3, 2023 at about 9:05 pm local time, a 2002 Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK (glider), registered N438BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in an impact with a taxiway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2023 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Let L-23 SUPER BLANIK, built 2002 · all L-23 SUPER BLANIKs on the register
- Registration
- N438BA · registry record · serial 029016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the glider reported that while on downwind, the tow airplane maneuvered to avoid another aircraft, which resulted in a slack tow line. The tow line subsequently broke, and the glider pilot initiated a landing to a nearby runway from about 900 ft above ground level (agl). During the landing roll, the glider drifted right, and the right wing impacted a taxiway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,475 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,771 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,612.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,297 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Runway 34, 7,395 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KMEV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMEV 032115Z AUTO 21005KT 10SM CLR 25/01 A3006 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
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 WPR23LA362.