20140125000229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Simpson Laurence Ray AMPHIBEOUS TRIKE · Chehalis, WA · January 25, 2014

Date: January 25, 2014 · 15:15 local
Place: Chehalis, WA
Airport: Chehalis-Centralia
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N440LS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14LA104
Reported as: Simpson Laurence Ray Amphibeous Trike
Reported engine: ROTAX 582UL
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 475 total100 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N440LSRegistered now · Simpson Laurence Ray AMPHIBEOUS TRIKES/N H20041 · Built 2008 Airframe modelSimpson Laurence Ray AMPHIBEOUS TRIKE Engine modelRotax 582UL2 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot stated he took off from Chehalis airport and noticed craft pulling hard to the left with noted vibration. Looked to left and noted wing flapping. Had hard time keeping aircraft from diving to the left. Returned to airport and at touchdown, wing dove to the left contacting the ground, causing the craft to flip upside down.

Left wing baton was found on runway. This caused the left wing to lose lift and made the aircraft hard to control.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED HE TOOK OFF FROM CHEHALIS AIRPORT AND NOTICED CRAFT PULLING HARD TO THE LEFT WITH NOTED VIBRATION. LOOKED TO LEFT AND NOTED WING FLAPPING. HAD HARD TIME KEEPING AIRCRAFT FROM DIVING TO THE LEFT. RETURNED TO AIRPORT AND AT TOUCHDOWN, WING DOVE TO THE LEFT CONTACTING THE GROUND, CAUSING THE CRAFT TO FLIP UPSIDE DOWN.

LEFT WING BATON WAS FOUND ON RUNWAY. THIS CAUSED THE LEFT WING TO LOSE LIFT AND MADE THE AIRCRAFT HARD TO CONTROL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR14LA104Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportChehalis, WAThe failure of the left wing prong.Jan 25, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N440LS · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20080923845389ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Chelan, WA(-23) After takeoff for first flight of this experimental amateur built weight-shift aircraft, from approximately 100-150 feet, pilot induced a stall/spin, the aircraft impacted the ground approximately 30 degrees left bank and 45 degrees nose low. Aircraft…Sep 23, 2008 · Substantial damage