Pipistrel Virus SW accident near Micanopy, FL
On April 4, 2017, a Pipistrel Virus SW (glider) was involved in an accident near Micanopy, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 4, 2017
- Place
- Micanopy, FL
- Aircraft
- Pipistrel Virus SW · Glider
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 29.465°N, 82.375°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170404X04612
Official records · ERA17FA145
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 4, 2017, about 0908 eastern daylight time, an experimental Pipistrel Virus SW motorglider, N155CL, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in Micanopy, Florida. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The motorglider was privately owned and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Sebring Regional Airport (SEF), Sebring, Florida, at 0800, destined for Oconee County Regional Airport (CEU), Clemson, South Carolina. Radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the motorglider was on a northerly track from SEF about 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl). At 0842, the pilot contacted the Jacksonville approach control facility and asked for pilot reports and information about the line of weather about 60 nautical miles to the north along his route. The controller described the location and movement of areas of "heavy to extreme precipitation" and offered to provide vectors through the area of least precipitation when the pilot neared the line of weather. The pilot inquired about the height of the cloud bases in the area of the weather, and the controller advised of a pilot report about 30 minutes old that indicated cloud bases at 10,000 ft. The pilot acknowledged, and said, "if things turn south I'll just go to Ocala." The controller confirmed that Ocala International Airport (OCF), located about 20 miles south of the line of weather, would be the pilot's a
Probable cause
The pilot's intentional flight into an area of known convective thunderstorm activity, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.
More accidents in FL
- Grumman G-73T, Dec 19, 2005
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Browse: Florida
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
