Accident Overview
On April 10, 2020, at about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Pipistrel Italia SRL Sinus 912 LSA, registration N6263R, was destroyed when it crashed near Marathon, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.
History of Flight
The pilot arrived at Marathon International Airport (MTH) and was seen on surveillance video conducting a preflight inspection. He then taxied and departed at an undetermined time. He flew over the airport and the local area for most of the day. Around 1600, he reported on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency that he was at 7,000 ft and circling the airport—the last transmission heard from him.
Two witnesses south of the airport reported hearing an unusually loud noise and saw the glider to the north. They heard the engine “laboring” and observed the glider wobbling. The glider then made a sharp left turn, the engine surged and sputtered, then lost power completely. The nose dropped, and about a second before impacting a house, the glider's airframe ballistic parachute deployed. A postimpact fire ensued.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
Aircraft records found in the pilot’s vehicle indicated a total time of 20 hours. A glider endorsement dated a month prior was also found. A container in the vehicle held what a Federal Aviation Administration inspector described as automotive fuel; it was checked for debris and contamination, and none was found.
Meteorological Information
Conditions at the accident site were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in daylight. The nearest observation facility was MTH, elevation 5 ft msl, 1 nautical mile from the site. At 16:53 local, the sky was clear, visibility 10 miles, wind from 290° at 9 knots, no turbulence, altimeter 29.9 inches Hg, temperature 31°C, dew point 23°C. No flight plan was filed.
Wreckage and Impact
The airframe was destroyed by the postimpact fire, precluding determination of flight control continuity. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsy by The District 16 Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma, and the manner as accident. Toxicology testing detected diphenhydramine in the pilot’s bile, liver tissue, and blood; one laboratory did not detect diphenhydramine in his iliac blood. Duloxetine was detected in his blood at 43 ng/mL and in his liver tissue. Meclizine and the non-impairing medications amlodipine and sildenafil were also detected in blood and liver tissue.