Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Enumclaw, Washington 98022
Sunday, October 2, 1988 16:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME TOO CLOSE TO TERRAIN WHILE SOARING. A STEEP TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION RESULTED IN ENTRY INTO AN ACCELERATED STALL AT LOW ALTITUDE.THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO RECOVER, HOWEVER, WHILE LOWERING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TREE TOPS WERE STRUCK IN FLIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE LEFT AILERON, HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR WERE DAMAGED, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND LAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ENUMCLAW
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98022
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1248
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37344
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9241Z
NTSB Number SEA89LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LET
Aircraft Model L-13
Aircraft Series Identifier L-13
Aircraft Serial Number 26502
Certified Max Gross Weight 1102
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PUGET SOUND SOARING ASSC. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 754
Aircraft Owner City BELLEVUE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PUGET SOUND SOARING ASSOC INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O.BOX 754
Operator City BELLEVUE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98009
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ENUMCLAW
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --