What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 02, 2017 N492X impacted into the side of a mountain approximately 20 feet from the summit. The aircraft rolled down the mountain approximately 30 feet leaving debris from the initial impact point.
During the onsite examination of the wreckage it was determined that all major components were at the accident site. The impact caused the fuel tank to rupture and there was a strong smell of fuel. The surrounding ground around the fuel tank showed evidence of fuel being present at the time of the accident.
With this aircraft being controlled by weight shift a traditional control continuity check did not apply however, there was a set of ?instructor bars? Installed at the time of the accident. This allowed the aircraft to be controlled from the rear seat. The aircraft owner was a designated pilot examiner and was located in the rear seat. It has been reported that the passenger received a pilot?s certificate from the aircraft owner the previous day, although paperwork has not yet been found for the checkride. It couldn?t be determined who was controlling the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The aircraft and pilots records couldn?t be located during the onsite investigation.
This report maybe amended at a later date.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 02, 2017 N492X IMPACTED INTO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM THE SUMMIT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET LEAVING DEBRIS FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT.
DURING THE ONSITE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO RUPTURE AND THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. THE SURROUNDING GROUND AROUND THE FUEL TANK SHOWED EVIDENCE OF FUEL BEING PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
WITH THIS AIRCRAFT BEING CONTROLLED BY WEIGHT SHIFT A TRADITIONAL CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK DID NOT APPLY HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SET OF ?INSTRUCTOR BARS? INSTALLED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THIS ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE CONTROLLED FROM THE REAR SEAT. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WAS A DESIGNATED PILOT EXAMINER AND WAS LOCATED IN THE REAR SEAT. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT THE PASSENGER RECEIVED A PILOT?S CERTIFICATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT OWNER THE PREVIOUS DAY, ALTHOUGH PAPERWORK HAS NOT YET BEEN FOUND FOR THE CHECKRIDE. IT COULDN?T BE DETERMINED WHO WAS CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
THE AIRCRAFT AND PILOTS RECORDS COULDN?T BE LOCATED DURING THE ONSITE INVESTIGATION.
THIS REPORT MAYBE AMENDED AT A LATER DATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.