NTSB MIA96LA045 — 1995-12-16 · JACKSONVILLE, Florida, United States

Current FAA registration · N254BA

Make / Model: LET BLANIK L-13
Year of manufacture: 1974 · 21 years old at event
Engine: NONE NONE
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20240316
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A26674

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N254BA LET L-23 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PLAN THE FLIGHT.

Factual narrative

On December 16, 1995, about 1455 eastern standard time, N254BA, a Blanic L-23 glider struck a goal post on landing at a football field in Jacksonville, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot reported no injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated about 1415 the same day. The pilot stated that he was unable to locate adequate thermals and elected to land in a football field. During the landing roll the left wing struck the goal post, damaging the leading edge, the spar, and the wing attachment fittings. THE PILOT STATED THAT ONCE RELEASED FROM THE TOWPLANE HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AN ADEQUATE THERMAL AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A FOOTBALL FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE LEFT WING STRUCK A GOALPOST. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1995_MIA96LA045.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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