Avia Stroitel AC-5M accident near Kingston, NV
On May 19, 2012, an Avia Stroitel AC-5M (glider) was involved in an accident near Kingston, NV. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 19, 2012
- Place
- Kingston, NV
- Aircraft
- Avia Stroitel AC-5M · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 39.206°N, 117.040°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120519X95027
Official records · WPR12LA218
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On May 19, 2012, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, an experimental-exhibition Avia-Stroitel AC-5M motor-glider, N186P, impacted the terrain about 1 mile east of Kingston, Nevada. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the glider, received fatal injuries, and the glider, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight, which departed the Kingston Airstrip, about 30 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to a witness, after the pilot took off from the airstrip, he climbed to about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl), and then began circling and entering thermals as he continued his climb. He then flew out of sight over a ridge, with everything reportedly looking normal up to that point in time. About 20 minutes after the glider went out of sight, it came back over the ridge at a relatively low altitude, and the pilot then appeared to enter another thermal about 500 to 600 feet agl. While in the thermal, the pilot appeared to enter a steep climbing left turn, and while in the turn, the glider began to move in what the witness described as an erratic manner. Soon thereafter the pilot was seen departing the glider, which then pitched over and made an uncontrolled descent into the terrain. The pilot was found about 150 yards from the wreckage of the glider. The canopy release handle was about 10 feet from the pilot, and the canopy was nearby. Although the pilot was wearing a parachute, its ripcord was
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider while maneuvering in flight.
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Browse: Nevada
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
