# Accident 20160802013749A: Wings An Things Inc AVID FLYER, Bluffton, IN, August 2, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 2016, 20:53 local time
- Place: Bluffton, IN
- Airport: Miller Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7167° N, 85.2500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7167&lon=-85.2500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N430WT (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: WINGS AN THINGS INC AVID FLYER
- Reported engine: BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA300) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160802013749A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN16LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA300), Aug 3, 2016: Wings AN Things Avid Flyer (N430WT), Bluffton, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of roll control during climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would…

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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