Event MIA00LA165

Factual narrative

On May 22, 2000, about 1400 central daylight time, a Let Blanik L-13, N90867, registered to the Coastal Soaring Association, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed while attempting a landing in the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The glider received substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the same airport about 1 hour before the accident. According to the pilot, he misjudged the point at which he should begin his turn for final approach to Coastal Airport's runway 36, and as a result ended up low and slow short of the runway. He collided with a barbed-wire airport perimeter fence, shearing off the horizontal stabilizer and bending both wing spars. According to the student's instructor, he observed the glider's entry to the landing pattern and thought the flight's altitude was lower than normal. Instead of adjusting the pattern for the low condition, the student flew the downwind leg for the full length of the runway, resulting in a very low condition on final approach. The CFI stated that the student failed to recognize that the spoilers were deployed. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot stated he had difficulty seeing the midfield windsock to determine wind conditions, elected to duplicate the tow plane's pattern, and ended up on final approach in a low and slow condition. Examination of the wreckage revealed the spoilers were still in the deployed position as well as the cockpit control handle. According to the student glider pilot, as well as his CFI who was observing from the ground, his base turn from the downwind leg was made at too low an altitude and too late, relative to his position in the landing pattern, to allow for arrival at the runway with sufficient altitude and airspeed for a safe landing. Contributing to the low and slow condition on final approach was the pilot's failure to realize the spoilers were still deployed. The glider collided with an airport perimeter fence short of the runway causing substantial damage. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12