Pipistrel Italia Srl Sinus 912 LSA accident near Marathon, FL
On April 9, 2020, a Pipistrel Italia Srl Sinus 912 LSA (airplane) was involved in an accident near Marathon, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 9, 2020
- Place
- Marathon, FL
- Aircraft
- Pipistrel Italia Srl Sinus 912 LSA · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 24.719°N, 81.059°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200409X75658
Official records · ERA20LA149
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 10, 2020, at 1700 eastern daylight time, a Pipistrel Italia SRL Sinus 912 LSA, N6263R, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Marathon, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured. The glider was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the airport manager at the Marathon International Airport (MTH), Marathon, Florida, the pilot arrived at the airport and was seen on surveillance video conducting a preflight inspection of the motor glider. After the pilot completed the inspection, he taxied to the runway and departed at an undetermined time. The manager further reported that the pilot was flying over the airport and in the local area most of the day. About 1600, he heard the pilot on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency reporting that he was at 7,000 ft and circling the airport. That was the last radio transmission he heard from the pilot. Two witnesses stated that they heard an unusually loud noise and as they looked around, they saw the accident glider to the north and determined that was where the noise was coming from. The witnesses were south of the airport and could hear the engine "laboring" and saw the glider wobbling in the air. The glider then made a “sharp left turn" and then the engine started to "surge, sputter" and before it lost power completely. The nose of the glider "dropped down", and, about a second before impacting a house, the glider's airframe ballistic parachute deployed. A postimpact fire ensued. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONA review of the records found in the pi
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of control of the motorized glider, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with a residential home and postimpact fire. The reason for the loss of control could not be determined due to the condition of the wreckage.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
