Pipistrel SINUS 912 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, August 12, 2018
On August 12, 2018 at about 12:40 pm local time, a 2006 Pipistrel SINUS 912 (glider), registered N467L, was destroyed in an accident during landing near West Palm Beach, Florida (North Palm Beach County Genera 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 fatigue failure of the exhaust system manifold, which resulted in a ground fire after landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2018 · about 12:40 pm local time · cases in 2018
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North Palm Beach County Genera · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pipistrel SINUS 912 No Series, built 2006 · all SINUS 912s on the register
- Registration
- N467L · no longer on the register · serial 213S9121106KIT49
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot of a motor glider was taking off when he noticed the engine sounded "a little rough"; as he turned downwind, he started to smell smoke. He reported that he shut down the engine and returned for an uneventful landing. When the motor glider stopped, the pilot noticed flames below the right door; the flames grew and eventually consumed and destroyed the airplane. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the exhaust manifold had various cracks on the tubing. Examination of the exhaust manifold revealed the fracture and cracking of the exhaust system manifold tubes was due to fatigue. The fatigue cracks on the exhaust manifold were progressive in nature and had likely been present for some time before the accident, allowing exhaust gasses to begin escaping into the engine compartment before reaching the muffler assembly. It is likely that the exhaust gases caused a flammable condition the that resulted in a ground fire after landing.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › (general) › (general) › Failure other cases naming the other and general
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Failure other cases naming the engine
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,402 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,597 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2017
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 15, 2018; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,210 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 UL2 (piston); 350 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: F45 West Palm Beach FL at 12:20 pm
- Destination: F45 West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 3,679 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from F45
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on May 18, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record FAA Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 33 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 19 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N467L: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Pipistrel SINUS 912 45 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Pipistrel 398 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rotax 912 UL2 186 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- North Palm Beach County General Aviation · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 985 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,699 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA18LA214.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.