Hemet-Ryan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hemet, California 92343
Saturday, April 1, 1989 15:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RGT WING OF BLANIK L-13, N82756, HIT THE LEFT WING OF ANOTHER GLIDER (LS-1), WHICH WAS PARKED NEAR THE RGT EDGE OF THE RWY, AS THE BLANIK WAS STARTING TO BE LAUNCHED BEHIND A TOW PLANE. ACCORDING TO THE WING WALKER, HE HAD HOOKED THE TOW ROPE TO THE BLANIK & WAS LIFTING THE (RGT) WING, WHEN HE REALIZED THE LS-1 WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY. HE SAID HE PUT THE WING DOWN & SHOUTED FOR A RELEASE AS HE HAD BEEN TAUGHT, BUT THE BLANIK PLT FANNED THE RUDDER TO SIGNAL THE TOW PLT FOR THE LAUNCH TO BEGIN. ACCORDING TO THE BLANIK PLT, THE WING WALKER HAD RAISED THE WING (A SIGNAL TO BGN THE LAUNCH), THEN TRIED TO STOP THE LAUNCH, BUT DID NOT USE THE PROPER 'CUT' SIGNAL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LAUNCH BEGAN & THE BLANIK VEERED SLIGHTLY RGT & HIT THE LS-1 BEFORE THE BLANIK PLT RELEASED THE TOW ROPE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE CREW COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GROUND LINEMAN AND THE BLANIK PILOT, AND FAILURE OF THE BLANIK PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE BETWEEN HIS AIRCRAFT AND THE PARKED GLIDER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PROXIMITY OF THE PARKED GLIDER TO THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City HEMET
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92343
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HEMET-RYAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HMT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1512
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 297
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1352
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38839
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82756
NTSB Number LAX89LA145
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 025511
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 Unknown
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 PEARSON, RUSSELL O.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 117 N. LUCIA AVE.
Aircraft Owner City REDONDO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90277
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAILPLANE ENTERPRISE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1678
Operator City HEMET
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92343
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2045
Runway Width 20
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --