ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 65931
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| Date: | Wednesday 3 October 2001 |
| Time: | 13:15 |
| Type: | LET L-33 Blaník Solo |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N388BA |
| MSN: | 010514 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 106 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Windsor, VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Windsor, VA (3VA8) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot completed a preflight inspection of the glider, including the cockpit area. After a tow release at 3,000 feet msl, the pilot flew for about 1 hour. To descend, the pilot completed a spin to the right. He then induced a spin to the left, and heard a loud bang when an object struck the inside of the canopy. Then pilot then saw the object float forward and settle into the area where the rudder pedals were located. As he tried to apply opposite rudder, he felt a binding in the pedals. He had sufficient rudder authority to stop the spin's rotation; however, the airplane's dive angle and airspeed had increased significantly. The pilot "pulled back fairly hard" on the control stick, and as the airspeed climbed to 100-110 knots, he recovered the glider. The object that became entangled in the rudder pedals was subsequently identified as a transformer used for charging the glider's battery. The transformer was not normally used in the glider for recharging. It had been borrowed from another club member, and "someone" had used it to charge the battery via a long extension cord. The battery would have normally been disconnected, and put on a small transformer/charger in the club office.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loose battery charger becoming entangled in the rudder pedals during a spin recovery, and a subsequent overstress of the glider. Factors included the loose battery charger, and the non-standard battery charging procedure.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20011121X02276&key=1
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 17 August 2011 | N388BA | Tidewater Soaring Society | 0 | Wakefield, Virginia | |
sub |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Jun-2009 03:36 | DColclasure | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Dec-2017 13:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Cn, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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