ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 234917
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| Date: | Thursday 9 April 2020 |
| Time: | 17:00 |
| Type: |  Pipistrel Sinus 912 LSA |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N6263R |
| MSN: | 998 SNM 912 LSA |
| Year of manufacture: | 2020 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 19 hours |
| Engine model: | Rotax 912UL2-01 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Marathon-Florida Keys Airport (MTH/KMTH), FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Marathon-Florida Keys Airport, FL (MTH/KMTH) |
| Marathon-Florida Keys Airport, FL (MTH/KMTH) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 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.
The pilot of the motor glider performed a preflight inspection, departed the airport, and remained in the local area conducting maneuvers. Witnesses observed the glider about a mile from the airport and reported hearing unusually loud noises coming from it and, subsequently, a laboring engine. The glider had the appearance of wobbling; the engine surged and sputtered, and the glider then made a sharp left turn and the nose dropped.
The glider's airframe ballistic parachute deployed shortly before the impact with a residential home and a postimpact fire ensued. It is likely that the glider entered an aerodynamic stall and an entry phase of a spin prior to impact. It is also likely that, despite the pilot’s attempt to pull the airframe parachute, it was not deployed at a sufficient altitude to arrest the descent.
The airframe was destroyed by post-impact fire, which precluded an examination of the flight control system. Examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Toxicology testing detected three potentially impairing substances in the pilot’s specimens. The sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine was detected in his blood and not quantified by one laboratory and not detected in iliac blood by another laboratory. While diphenhydramine is known to cause sedation, the level detected in the pilot’s blood appears to be well below therapeutic levels. Although no absolute threshold for impairment exists, any psychomotor effects from such a low diphenhydramine level would likely have been insignificant. The motion sickness medication meclizine was also detected but not quantified in the pilot’s blood. While meclizine can cause drowsiness, it’s also likely that any effects would have been minor at low concentrations detected. Duloxetine was detected at therapeutic levels in the pilot’s blood. The medication and conditions for which it is prescribed can impair the mental or physical ability to perform complex tasks. However, based on the operational evidence, the pilot appeared to have been intentionally testing the glider and took actions, although too late, to deploy the parachute. Thus, it is unlikely that effects from the pilot’s use of diphenhydramine, duloxetine, and meclizine were factors in the accident.
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.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/04/09/1-dies-in-small-plane-crash-in-monroe-county/
https://www.flkeysnews.com/news/local/article241901726.html?fbclid=IwAR043ivJaO09_fPXDJm3WKibovbOnZzy99pag-TIF-1tf859xUAdkrBWH4o
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N6263R
Location
Images:
Photo: Monroe County Sheriff's Office
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Apr-2020 21:35 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 09-Apr-2020 22:11 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Plane category] |
| 09-Apr-2020 23:55 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, Plane category] |
| 10-Apr-2020 13:16 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 10-Apr-2020 13:17 | gerard57 | Updated [Narrative] |
| 10-Apr-2020 13:33 | Captain Adam | Updated [Registration, Source, Narrative] |
| 10-Apr-2020 14:12 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 11-Apr-2020 05:55 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 08-Sep-2022 10:53 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, Photo] |
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