- Date
- April 10, 2020, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC)
- Place
- Townsend, TN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N711MKPipistrel Sinus
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200410003799A
- Case key
- 101163
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while en route, the motor glider began to lose altitude unexpectedly. He turned the motor glider toward an area where lift was expected, but it continued to descend. When the motor glider was about 300 ft above trees, he unfeathered the propeller and started the engine. The motor glider continued to descend due to a downdraft, and the pilot deployed the airframe parachute. Subsequently, the motor glider impacted vegetation, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the motor glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual 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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N711MK
- Reported as
- Pipistrel Sinus (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 510 SN 912 LSA
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 1,046
- Engine
- Rotax 912 UL2, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 21, 2019
- Departed
- RYY · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- RYY · Atlanta, GA
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 26, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,210 total · 1,043 in this make and model · 1,125 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- 1A5, 22 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.