Fatal Nisus Aero Nisus Accident in Slovakia (OM-M199)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 18 May 2023, a Nisus Aero Nisus powered hang-glider, registration OM-M199, operated by JokerTrike s.r.o., crashed in the cadastral territory of Novoť, Námestovo District, Slovakia. The aircraft was destroyed by a post-impact fire, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) without a flight plan, departing from the Nemčice-Topoľčany working surface with the intended destination of Bielsko Biala Airport (EPBA) in Poland. The pilot had informed the Bratislava Flight Information Centre (FIC) of the flight intent and maintained radio contact throughout the flight. ## Flight Progression and Final Moments During the flight, the pilot communicated with FIC Bratislava, reporting positions and altitudes, and was cleared to climb up to 8,000 feet. The pilot requested permission to climb further after Martin due to deteriorating weather conditions and increasing terrain elevation, noting low cloud in the flight path. The pilot indicated that an altitude of 3,500 to 4,000 feet would be sufficient. Radar data indicated that the aircraft briefly crossed the state border at approximately 5,550 feet, which was at or above the cloud layer over Novoť. In the final phase of the flight, beginning around 16:30 UTC, the aircraft descended, likely to re-establish visual contact with the ground. At approximately 16:43:24 UTC, the rotor collided with treetops, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and loss of control. The aircraft then impacted rugged terrain. ## Personnel and Aircraft Information The pilot was a 59-year-old citizen of Hungary, holding a hang-glider pilot license issued by the Hungarian Ministry of Transport and Construction, along with other aviation qualifications. The pilot had 3,500 hours of flight experience. The Nisus Aero Nisus is a two-seat autogyro with a two-blade main rotor and a pusher propeller, featuring a fixed tricycle landing gear. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the fire following the impact. No other persons were injured, and no third-party damage claims were reported to the investigation authority.