N48026 – Let Blanik – 2008-10-04 NTSB Accident Report

On October 04, 2008, a Let Blanik (N48026) was involved in an incident near Gardner, KS. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff when the climb performance of the tow plane and the glider were inadequate. Contributing to the accident were the high density altitude and the terrain-induced turbulence.

The private pilot was conducting a normal aero tow takeoff in a glider from the 2,154 foot long turf runway 21. The tow plane pilot and the glider pilot both reported that they both became airborne at approximately 40 knots and both pilots released the tow rope at the end of the runway when it became obvious that the climb performance of the glider and the tow plane was insufficient to accelerate or to climb out of ground effect. The glider then crashed into the fence at the end of runway 21. Weather reported by at the time of the accident was 10 miles visibility, clear of clouds, winds from 150 at 9 knots, with a temperature of 74 degrees and dew point of 57 degrees. Density altitude was calculated as 2,260 feet.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA007. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N48026.