Pipistrel SINUS 912 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, October 16, 2011
On October 16, 2011 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Pipistrel SINUS 912 (glider), registered N9013H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the motor-glider while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2011 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pipistrel SINUS 912 · all SINUS 912s on the register
- Registration
- N9013H · no longer on the register · serial 088S9120103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the motor-glider encountered a wind gust during the landing flare that resulted in a 15-degree runway misalignment. The pilot considered a go-around, but chose to attempt a landing in the grass adjacent to the runway because he believed that was the safest course of action. He stated that another wind gust "caught" the right wing and the motor-glider ground looped in the grass, nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that the wind at the time of the accident was gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 531 hours in all; 344 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 438 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 8, 2010
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: MQJ Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from IND, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA038.