What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 02, 2016 about 2053 eastern standard time (EST) (0053Z), a student pilot and a passenger departed Miller Airport(C40), Bluffton, Indiana, IN an Avid Flyer (experimental aircraft), N430WT. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately half a mile west of the airport. The weather at the time was VFR. The pilot and passenger both were injured. There were no ground injuries. The aircraft is not registered. No flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed by the crash.
A witness at the airport observed the takeoff and described as the aircraft have done some sort of loop, and reported the plane was too low to the ground and not level. The student pilot has not received instruction in the Avid Flyer. He has approximately 15 hours of instruction in a Cessna 172 according to the pilot log book.
Records indicate the aircraft's last inspection was performed on January 23 1995, according to the aircraft log. Examination of the flight control system shows damage to the flaperon, push rods and bell crank. The aircraft bell crank was improperly installed (the bolt is too long, four washers were used, a castle nut and missing cutter pin), inducing stress on the push rod causing metal fatigue. We noted corrosion on the internal wall of the push rod. It was not determined if the damage occurred in flight or at impact with the ground due to the extensive damage to the aircraft.
The improper maintenance of the aircraft and the student pilot's limited experience and training are contributing factors to this accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 02, 2016 ABOUT 2053 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST) (0053Z), A STUDENT PILOT AND A PASSENGER DEPARTED MILLER AIRPORT(C40), BLUFFTON, INDIANA, IN AN AVID FLYER (EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT), N430WT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS VFR. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER BOTH WERE INJURED. THERE WERE NO GROUND INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT IS NOT REGISTERED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE CRASH.
A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT OBSERVED THE TAKEOFF AND DESCRIBED AS THE AIRCRAFT HAVE DONE SOME SORT OF LOOP, AND REPORTED THE PLANE WAS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND AND NOT LEVEL. THE STUDENT PILOT HAS NOT RECEIVED INSTRUCTION IN THE AVID FLYER. HE HAS APPROXIMATELY 15 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN A CESSNA 172 ACCORDING TO THE PILOT LOG BOOK.
RECORDS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT'S LAST INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON JANUARY 23 1995, ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT LOG. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM SHOWS DAMAGE TO THE FLAPERON, PUSH RODS AND BELL CRANK. THE AIRCRAFT BELL CRANK WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED (THE BOLT IS TOO LONG, FOUR WASHERS WERE USED, A CASTLE NUT AND MISSING CUTTER PIN), INDUCING STRESS ON THE PUSH ROD CAUSING METAL FATIGUE. WE NOTED CORROSION ON THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE PUSH ROD. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN FLIGHT OR AT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
THE IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.