What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 2nd 2015 about 1730 local time, an experimental amateur built, weight shift control trike was substantially damaged during its flare maneuver at mid Florida airpark in Eustis, FL. The aircraft a babcock Dayton a, Storm, with a registration number N516VB. The pilot stated he encountered a prop wash, forcing a right wing bank and striking the ground. The nose gear then collapsed causing the trike to roll, similar to a ground loop. The pilot holds a sport pilot certificate and a current medical, dated 08/13/2014. The aircraft inspection identified two propeller blades and right hand wheel cover cracked. The main frame is twisted and buckled in three places. The nose gear assembly detached and folded underneath and the wing tubing (spar) was also broken and bent. Both of which are structural. Other damage was considered minor. The aircraft has flown 24.9 hours since new and still remains in phase I flight testing and currently has not been completed under the prescribed limitations issued and remain in effect until further notice.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 2ND 2015 ABOUT 1730 LOCAL TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT, WEIGHT SHIFT CONTROL TRIKE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING ITS FLARE MANEUVER AT MID FLORIDA AIRPARK IN EUSTIS, FL. THE AIRCRAFT A BABCOCK DAYTON A, STORM, WITH A REGISTRATION NUMBER N516VB. THE PILOT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED A PROP WASH, FORCING A RIGHT WING BANK AND STRIKING THE GROUND. THE NOSE GEAR THEN COLLAPSED CAUSING THE TRIKE TO ROLL, SIMILAR TO A GROUND LOOP. THE PILOT HOLDS A SPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND A CURRENT MEDICAL, DATED 08/13/2014. THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION IDENTIFIED TWO PROPELLER BLADES AND RIGHT HAND WHEEL COVER CRACKED. THE MAIN FRAME IS TWISTED AND BUCKLED IN THREE PLACES. THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY DETACHED AND FOLDED UNDERNEATH AND THE WING TUBING (SPAR) WAS ALSO BROKEN AND BENT. BOTH OF WHICH ARE STRUCTURAL. OTHER DAMAGE WAS CONSIDERED MINOR. THE AIRCRAFT HAS FLOWN 24.9 HOURS SINCE NEW AND STILL REMAINS IN PHASE I FLIGHT TESTING AND CURRENTLY HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED UNDER THE PRESCRIBED LIMITATIONS ISSUED AND REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N516VB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.