Accident Details
On May 19, 2012, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, an experimental-exhibition Avia-Stroitel AC-5M motor-glider, registration N186P, impacted terrain approximately 1 mile east of Kingston, Nevada. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries, and the glider sustained substantial damage. The local flight, conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, had departed the Kingston Airstrip about 30 minutes prior to the accident and was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.
Witness Account
According to a witness, after takeoff the pilot climbed to about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) and began circling and entering thermals as he continued his climb. He then flew out of sight over a ridge, with everything appearing normal. Approximately 20 minutes later, the glider returned over the ridge at a relatively low altitude, and the pilot appeared to enter another thermal at about 500 to 600 feet agl. While in the thermal, the pilot executed a steep climbing left turn, during which the glider began to move in an erratic manner. Soon after, the witness observed the pilot departing the glider, which then pitched over and made an uncontrolled descent into the terrain.
Findings at the Scene
The pilot was located about 150 yards from the wreckage of the glider. The canopy release handle was found approximately 10 feet from the pilot, and the canopy was nearby. Although the pilot was wearing a parachute, the ripcord had not been pulled, and the parachute had not deployed.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the glider at the scene. Flight control continuity and correct movement to all flight control surfaces were established, though movement of the ailerons and elevator was limited by impact damage. The spoilers operated normally from the stowed position to full deployment. No evidence of any inflight malfunction or restriction of movement of any flight controls was found. The engine was out of its stowed position, but the partially open position of the engine well doors and associated scars were consistent with the engine being stowed prior to impact. The witness confirmed the engine was not protruding from the fuselage and that the fuselage profile appeared normal.
Medical and Toxicological Examination
The Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy, determining the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries related to the glider accident. The FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute conducted a forensic toxicological examination on specimens from the pilot. All findings were negative except for 22 mg/dl of ethanol detected in the muscle, which the report noted originated from sources other than ingestion, as no ethanol was detected in the brain tissue.