# Accident 20090801018259A: Airbor EDGEXT912L, Lihue, HI, August 1, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 1, 2009, 14:45 local time
- Place: Lihue, HI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 22.1028° N, 159.4717° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=22.1028&lon=-159.4717&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44VZ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44VZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L (registry code 060003A, https://openairdocs.org/model/airborne-windsports-pty-edge-xt-912-l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912UL series (registry code 55571, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBOR EDGEXT912L
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912UL
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 278 total, 275 in this make and model, 145 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09LA386](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA386) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090801018259A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

1. SEE ATTACHED FOR NARRATIVE.  2. ITEM #15, TYPE OF AIRCRAFT: LIGHT SPORT WEIGHT SHIFT.  3. ITEM #23, WEATHER BRIEFING SOURCE:MR DEFINO HAD FLOWN SEVERAL TIMES EARLIER IN THE DAY AND DID NOT GET A WEATHER BRIEFING.  ON SATURDAY, 08/01/2009, A WEIGHT SHIFT CONTROL AIRCRAFT (N44VZ/AIRBORNE WINDSPORTS EDGE XT-912-L), CRASHED NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND OF KAUAI.  BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL INJURIES AND WERE AIRLIFTED OUT OF A CANYON AND TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE'S MAIN TRAUMA CENTER ON OAHU.  THE MISHAP PILOT WAS ON TOP OF A BROKEN CLOUD DECK TRYING TO FIND A HOLE TO DESCENED INTO A CRATER.  APPARENTLY, HE SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A HOLE TO DESCEND THROUGH AND STARTED TO SPIRAL DOWN THROUGHT IT. THE HOLE CLOSED UP ON HIM AT THE SAME TIME THAT SEVERE UPDRAFTS/DOWNDRAFTS CAUSED THE WEIGHT SHIFT CONTROL AIRCRAFT TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIP.  THE PILOT REPORTS THE FORCE BEING SO STRONG THAT IT RIPPED THE BAR FROM HIS HANDS.  THE PARACHUTE WAS DEPLOYED AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON THE SIDE OF A CLIFF WITH THE PARACHUTE GETTING IN A TREE, WHICH PREVENTED THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT FROM SLIDING FURTHER DOWN THE CLIFF.  MISHAP SPORT PILOT CFI IS MR. THOMAS GERARD DEFINO (CERT#3358031).  HIS INJURIES INCLUDE TWO BROKEN LEGS, BROKEN RIBS AND FACE TRAUMA.  MISHAP PASSENGER/STUDENT IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  HIS INJURIES INCLUDE A BROKEN LEG, BROKEN ANKLE AND BROKEN RIBS.  STATEMENTS WERE RECEIVED FROM BOTH MR. DEFINO AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT WAS IN FORMATION WITH ANOTHER WEIGHT SHIFT CONTROL AIRCRAFT PILOTED BY SPORT PILOT CFI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PASSENGER/STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^  STATEMENTS WERE RECEIVED FROM BOTH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR09LA386](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA386), Aug 2, 2009: Airborne Windsports PTY XT-912-L (N44VZ), Lihue, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the airplane following an in-flight encounter with turbulence during descent.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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