- Date
- May 12, 2026, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Scotts Fork, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8217WI.C.A.-Brasov IS-28B2
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 11, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260512004269A
- Case key
- 202986
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 photographer’s failure to remain clear of an active taxiway.
Findings · 1
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 the purpose of the flight was to give an experience ride to a friend of the photographer on the ground. Prior to the flight, the pilot informed the photographer of the runway they would be landing on and that they would roll off onto the south taxiway before concluding the flight in front of the main hanger. As briefed, the glider touched down and rolled onto the taxiway. The pilot saw the photographer taking pictures just before the glider’s wing contacted him at the midspan of the left wing. The glider rotated 90° to the left before coming to rest. The photographer sustained fatal injuries as a result of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8217W
- Reported as
- I.C.A.-Brasov IS-28B2
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 357
- Built
- 1992
- Airframe hours
- 1,293.6
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Merlin Soaring Association Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 30, 2025
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 2VA3 · Merlin Aerodrome, runway 32, 3,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Last flight review
- February 26, 2025
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,293 total · 327 in this make and model · 2,631 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- BKT, 15 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KBKT 121655Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM FEW280 FEW350 20/06 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP233 T02040056
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.1 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.