Pipistrel SINUS
Townsend, TN — April 10, 2020
Event Information
| Date | April 10, 2020 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA20CA151 |
| Event ID | 20200410X12023 |
| Location | Townsend, TN |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 35.57084, -83.58500 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Pipistrel |
| Model | SINUS |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The motor glider's encounter with atmospheric lift conditions that were not sufficient to maintain flight, which necessitated a forced landing and resulted in impact with vegetation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delayed decision to restart the motor glider's engine.
Full Narrative
The pilot of the motor-glider reported that, while enroute on a local flight he encountered an area of unexpected sink. Turning toward an area where lift was expected, additional sink was encountered. When the motor-glider was about 300 ft above the trees, the propeller was unfeathered and the engine was started. The motor-glider continued to descend due to downdraft and the pilot deployed the airframe parachute. The motor-glider continued to descend and impacted vegetation.The motor-glider sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the motor-glider that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.