What happened
On November 20, 2024, at approximately 13:30 EST, an AMS Flight D O O Carat A motor glider, registration N17GF, was involved in an accident at Sunset Strip Airport (7GE5) in Centralhatchee, Georgia. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.
The pilot departed from Thomas Ridge Airport (3GA7) in Rupert, Georgia, en route to Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (KGAD) in Gadsden, Alabama. The aircraft departed with 13 gallons of fuel. Approximately one hour into the flight, the pilot reported that the engine began running rough and experienced a partial loss of power, followed by a complete loss of engine power.
Unable to restore power, the pilot performed a forced landing at Sunset Strip Airport. During the landing sequence, the aircraft struck the ground hard and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot sustained one serious injury and was not fatal.
The investigation
An inspection of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector showed that the engine of the N17GF had been separated from the aircraft due to the impact. The cockpit area of the motor glider was also fragmented. The wreckage was kept for further examination.