What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 4, 2017, at approximately 1307Z, N155CL, a experimental virus-sw, was flying IFR from sebring regional airport (sef) to oconee regional airport (ceu), when it crashed in a field near 21850 150th nw ave while in communication with jacksonville approach. The aircraft was cruising at around 8,000FT on a nw heading when the aircraft encountered severe weather (thurderstorm/tornado warning) around the area of gainesville (gnv). The aircraft appears to have entered into this weather condition. In which it appears that the left hand wing snapped and the pilot lost control and crashed/destroyed. The separated wing was found on a nearby farm 4 miles away from the main scene, at 14920 west hwy 318. The wing was near a pasture and recovered from the field.
The pilot, held an airline transport pilot certificate 2629186 (airplane multiengine land, airplane single engine land, airplane single engine sea, glider) and flight engineer (turbojet powered), was a 64-year-OLD male. This pilot reported civil flight experience that included 12,100 total and 85 hours in last six months as of exam dated 10/28/2013. This pilot was 72 inches tall and weighed 175 lbs at the time of the last exam. The last exam was conducted by aviation medical examiner (AME) 21172. This pilot was issued a third class medical certificate with the following limitation(s): must wear corrective lenses.
This medical certificate expired for all classes 10/31/2015. However, this is a factory experimental motorized glider and no medical certificate was required for operation.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 4, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1307Z, N155CL, A EXPERIMENTAL VIRUS-SW, WAS FLYING IFR FROM SEBRING REGIONAL AIRPORT (SEF) TO OCONEE REGIONAL AIRPORT (CEU), WHEN IT CRASHED IN A FIELD NEAR 21850 150TH NW AVE WHILE IN COMMUNICATION WITH JACKSONVILLE APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING AT AROUND 8,000FT ON A NW HEADING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WEATHER (THURDERSTORM/TORNADO WARNING) AROUND THE AREA OF GAINESVILLE (GNV). THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE ENTERED INTO THIS WEATHER CONDITION. IN WHICH IT APPEARS THAT THE LEFT HAND WING SNAPPED AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED/DESTROYED. THE SEPARATED WING WAS FOUND ON A NEARBY FARM 4 MILES AWAY FROM THE MAIN SCENE, AT 14920 WEST HWY 318. THE WING WAS NEAR A PASTURE AND RECOVERED FROM THE FIELD.
THE PILOT, HELD AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE 2629186 (AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND, AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND, AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE SEA, GLIDER) AND FLIGHT ENGINEER (TURBOJET POWERED), WAS A 64-YEAR-OLD MALE. THIS PILOT REPORTED CIVIL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE THAT INCLUDED 12,100 TOTAL AND 85 HOURS IN LAST SIX MONTHS AS OF EXAM DATED 10/28/2013. THIS PILOT WAS 72 INCHES TALL AND WEIGHED 175 LBS AT THE TIME OF THE LAST EXAM. THE LAST EXAM WAS CONDUCTED BY AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER (AME) 21172. THIS PILOT WAS ISSUED A THIRD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WITH THE FOLLOWING LIMITATION(S): MUST WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES.
THIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE EXPIRED FOR ALL CLASSES 10/31/2015. HOWEVER, THIS IS A FACTORY EXPERIMENTAL MOTORIZED GLIDER AND NO MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS REQUIRED FOR OPERATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.