Event SEA07LA101

Factual narrative

On April 13, 2007, at 1500 Pacific daylight time, a LET Blanik L-13, N101JJ, operated by Great Western Soaring School collided with a Glaser-Dirks DG 505 Elan, N505TW, during the landing roll at Crystal Airport, Llano, California. The DG 505 was preparing for departure at the time. The Blanik L-13 was flown by a student pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, while the DG 505 was to be flown by a certified flight instructor, as a sightseeing flight. Neither the student pilot nor the flight instructor was injured. The Blanik L-13 was returning from a flight that originated from Llano about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The Blanik L-13 was substantially damaged while the DG 505 received minor wingtip damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and neither pilot filed a flight plan. The Crystal Airport has a dirt runway 250 feet wide (runway 7/25). Due to the width of the runway, it is common procedure for multiple aircraft to use the runway at one time. Under these conditions, pilots use the designators 25L or 25R for the area of the runway being used. In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing on 25L, with the DG 505 positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505. The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway." A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip. In a written statement, the student pilot reported that he was landing his glider, a LET Blanik L-13, on 25L, while another glider, a DG 505 was positioned on 25R approximately 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The DG 505 was hooked to a tow plane and waiting for takeoff on runway 25R. The Blanik L-13 made a normal landing on runway 25L with a touchdown point 500 feet from the end of the runway. During the landing roll, the glider veered to the right and collided with the DG 505 before coming to a stop. The right wing of the Blanik L-13 impacted the left wingtip of the DG 505. The flight instructor in the DG 505 stated in a written report: "there was ample room (for landing), but the pilot made the mistake of looking at the obstruction (me), rather than ahead up the runway." A post accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the Blanik L-13, including distorted wing skins, detached wing attachments and bent bulkheads in the fuselage. The minor damage to the DG 505 was contained to a detachable wing tip. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12