What happened
On February 9, 2026, at approximately 1514 EST, a Pipistrel Taurus 503 motorglider, registration N414HG, was involved in an accident at Willis Gliderport (FA44) in Boynton Beach, Florida. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
Security camera footage from the area showed the aircraft taxiing to the west end of the gliderport. The engine remained running for approximately 2 minutes and 10 seconds while the aircraft faced east. The audio from the recording captured the engine RPM increasing before the aircraft began its takeoff roll. The aircraft rotated approximately 570 feet down the runway before exiting the camera's view.
A witness located approximately 1,900 feet east of the western runway edge reported hearing the aircraft depart, followed by the sound of the engine quitting. The witness observed the aircraft flying west at an altitude of 200 to 300 feet, approximately 350 feet south of the runway. Although the engine was extended, it was not running. The witness further observed the aircraft bank to the right, causing the right wing to drop. The aircraft then entered a nose-low attitude and descended in a right rotation, impacting the ground in a near-vertical position before coming to rest upright.
As a result of the impact, the pilot sustained one serious injury.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft, which was equipped with an airframe rescue parachute, revealed that the parachute was not deployed. A safety pin was found still inserted in the emergency parachute release handle.