On July 1, 2008, a Pipistrel Virus 912 was involved in an aviation accident near Bend, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot opined that the aircraft had 'too much energy' during the landing sequence. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A powered glider veered off the runway during landing, went down an embankment, and nosed over after the main gear encountered soft terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical issues and cited excessive energy as the cause.
Incident Overview
A pilot was performing an approach to the destination airport in a powered glider. The aircraft touched down and bounced, then began to veer to the right of the runway centerline. It unexpectedly swerved to the left, and the pilot could not regain control. The aircraft continued off the runway surface and down an embankment. The main landing gear encountered soft terrain, and the aircraft nosed over.
Pilot Report
In a written statement, the pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine. He noted that winds were calm. When queried as to the cause of the accident, the pilot opined that the aircraft had "too much energy" during the landing sequence.
Probable cause
The pilot opined that the aircraft had 'too much energy' during the landing sequence.
Contributing factors
Incorrect use/operationPilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained
An X-AIR HAWK ultralight crashed in Chonburi, Thailand, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger. The accident was caused by deteriorated wing fabric and…
A Challenger II Special ultralight aircraft (U-B23) landed off-runway at Pai Airport, Mae Hong Son, on September 17, 2024, due to a gust of wind. No injuries…
The Polish aviation safety authority is investigating a serious incident involving an AT-3R100 aircraft that occurred on September 2, 2024. The investigation…
A SZD-48-3 glider suffered damage when its left wing struck a ground obstacle during a low final approach at EPWK on June 20, 2025. The pilot was uninjured.
A 39-year-old skydiver died after a hard landing near Leszno on May 1, 2026. The PKBWL preliminary report indicates the fatal impact resulted from a late,…
A student pilot crashed an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider into the airfield fence during a solo training flight on June 6, 2026. The pilot was uninjured, but the…