# NTSB WPR12LA218: Avia Stroitel AC-5M, N186P, Kingston, NV, May 19, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 19, 2012, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Kingston, NV - Coordinates: 39.206111, -117.039718 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2061&lon=-117.0397&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report March 13, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Reno FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83689 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12LA218 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83689/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83689 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA218 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the glider while maneuvering in flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Avia Stroitel AC-5M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=05610QZ), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Avia Stroitel AC-5M, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05610QZ), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Avia Stroitel AC-5M, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05610QZ), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the motor-glider, who was flying with the motor stowed, had just crossed over a ridge at an altitude of about 500-600 feet above the ground, when he entered a thermal and began to climb. Soon thereafter the glider’s bank angle increased to the point where the pilot was apparently unable to maintain control of the glider. He jettisoned the glider’s canopy and bailed out, but was unable to open his parachute before impacting the terrain. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On May 19, 2012, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, an experimental-exhibition Avia-Stroitel AC-5M motor-glider, N186P, impacted the terrain about 1 mile east of Kingston, Nevada. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the glider, received fatal injuries, and the glider, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight, which departed the Kingston Airstrip, about 30 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to a witness, after the pilot took off from the airstrip, he climbed to about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl), and then began circling and entering thermals as he continued his climb. He then flew out of sight over a ridge, with everything reportedly looking normal up to that point in time. About 20 minutes after the glider went out of sight, it came back over the ridge at a relatively low altitude, and the pilot then appeared to enter another thermal about 500 to 600 feet agl. While in the thermal, the pilot appeared to enter a steep climbing left turn, and while in the turn, the glider began to move in what the witness described as an erratic manner. Soon thereafter the pilot was seen departing the glider, which then pitched over and made an uncontrolled descent into the terrain. The pilot was found about 150 yards from the wreckage of the glider. The canopy release handle was about 10 feet from the pilot, and the canopy was nearby. Although the pilot was wearing a parachute, its ripcord was not pulled, and the parachute had not opened. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident examined the glider at the scene. Although the movement of the ailerons and the elevator were limited by impact damage, he was able to establish flight control continuity and correct movement to all flight control surfaces. He further determined that the spoilers operated normally from the stowed position to the fully deployed position. He also reported that he found no evidence of any inflight malfunction or restriction of movement of any of the flight controls. Although the engine was out of its stowed position, the partially open position of the engine well doors, and the scars on the doors themselves, were consistent with the engine being stowed prior to impact. The engine position was also confirmed by the witness, who reported that it was not sticking out of the top of the fuselage, and that prior to the impact the fuselage profile looked like that of a normal glider. The Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on the pilot, and the determination was made that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries related to the glider accident. The FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute performed a forensic toxicological examination on specimens taken from the pilot. All finding were negative, except for 22 (mg/dl, mg/hg) ofEthanol detected in the muscle. The notes in the examination report indicated that the Ethanol found in the muscle was from sources other than ingestion, and that no Ethanol was detected in the brain tissue. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N186P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N186P-2017-07-20), registration cancelled 2017-07-20, S/N 014, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AVIA STROITEL AC-5M - Registry model: [Avia Stroitel AC-5M](https://openairdocs.org/model/avia-stroitel-ac-5m) (registry code 05610QZ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Glider - Serial number: 014 - Airframe hours: 54 - Engines: Zanzottera MZ-35R 25 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: App Frank J - Registered owner: App Frank J - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 5, 2012, 0 hours before - Departed: N15, Kingston, NV - Destination: Kingston, NV ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,375 total, 54 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120519009419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120519009419A), May 19, 2012: Avia Stroitel AC-5M, Kingston, NV, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. An experimental Avia-stroitel AC-5M glider, N186P, impacted the terrain about 1 mile east of Kingston, Nevada. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83689. 1.0 MB in all. - Witness Statements from Police Reports (item 1, .PDF, 446 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385351&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20from%20Police%20Reports-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Witness Thiss (item 2, .PDF, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Witness%20Thiss-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Witness Prather (item 3, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Witness%20Prather-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 4, .PDF, 29 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385378&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 5, .PDF, 306 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385357&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.