N811AW

On August 3, 2017, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Pipistrel Virus-SW, N811AW, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following an aborted landing from a private grass airstrip near Immokalee, Florida. The private pilot received minor injuries and the passenger was seriously injured. The motor glider was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight and originated about 1045 from Immokalee Regional Airport (IMM), Immokalee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight.

The pilot reported that he was attempting to land on a private, 1,200 ft-long grass airstrip with 50 ft-tall trees on both ends of the runway. After touchdown on the first third of the runway, realizing he was not going to stop in time, he disengaged the air brakes, aborted the landing, and attempted to go around. During the initial climb, at about 30 ft, "the left wing quickly dropped," before the glider descended and its left wing impacted the ground. The glider impacted trees located about 75 ft left of the runway center and 1,000 ft beyond the approach end of the runway. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the glider prior to the accident.

Examination of the accident site revealed that pieces of the fiberglass wheel fairing came to rest near the point where the glider touched down. The pieces were scattered along the runway for about 150 ft, with the last piece located about 550 ft from the main wreckage. The path of the fiberglass debris was consistent with the runway heading of 080°. No other ground scars were discovered until the first impact marks near where the wreckage came to rest.

An approximate 140-foot-long debris path oriented about a magnetic course of 060 degrees was located off the left side of the runway along with ground scars and propeller scalp marks. The left wing was completely separated from the fuselage and broken off at the wing spar near the wing root. The empennage was twisted upside down.

Southwest Florida International Airport, (RSW) Fort Myers, Florida was located about 40 miles east-northeast of the accident site. The recorded weather at RSW, at 1053, included wind from 130 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, broken clouds at 2,100 feet, temperature 31 degrees C, dew point 25 degrees C, and altimeter setting 30.14 inches of mercury.

According to Federal Aviation Administration and aircraft records, the motor glider was issued a special airworthiness certificate for experimental exhibition on March 1, 2017. It was manufactured by the Pipistrel d.o.o. Ajdovscii factory. The pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with a glider rating on March 27, 2017 and reported a total time of 33 hours.