What happened
On July 13, 2019, a Forsage powered hang glider, registration RA-0571G, was prepared for flight at a hangar located near the settlement of Vladyishino. Following an initial 30-minute flight used to inspect the aircraft, the pilot and a passenger decided to embark on a second flight toward the settlement of Goritsy. The crew intended to perform maneuvers including deep spirals and simulated engine failures, while also attempting to locate an abandoned airfield in the Goritsy area.
The pilot operated the aircraft from the front seat, while the passenger occupied the rear seat. This specific modification of the Forsage lacked flight controls in the rear seat, meaning the passenger could not intervene in the aircraft's operation. The flight departed from a field near Vladyishino at 13:46. During the flight, the aircraft maintained altitudes between 300 and 1400 meters, though it periodically descended to heights of 30 to 40 meters over mowed fields to simulate landing approaches.
At 14:47:20, while at an altitude of 750 meters, the pilot reduced engine power to idle and began a descent. At 14:49:33, the aircraft struck the ground near the abandoned settlement of Kiselevo, located approximately 4 km southwest of Goritsy. The impact resulted in 2 fatalities.
The investigation
The investigation reviewed the flight path and the operational intentions of the crew, noting that the flight involved intentional maneuvers such as simulated engine failures and low-altitude descents over agricultural fields.