# Accident 20180825016069A: Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC, Lake Wales, FL, August 25, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 25, 2018, 07:30 local time
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Airport: Lake Wales Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.8939° N, 81.6206° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8939&lon=-81.6206&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4557C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4557C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC (registry code 05902RV, https://openairdocs.org/model/airborne-edge-x-classic) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 582SER (registry code 55556, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBORNE EDGE X CLASSIC
- Reported engine: ROTAX 582SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA554](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA554) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180825016069A

## Narrative

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

THE FAA SAFETY TEAM RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE LAKE WALES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT MANAGER ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE AIRPORT RUNWAY 17/35, WHICH MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REPORTED.  FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN AIRCRAFT OWNER OF A AIRBORNE EDGE Z CLASSIC, EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT OPERATING AS A STUDENT PILOT TOOK OFF FROM LAKE WALES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018 AT 0700 AND UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT AFTER 30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, LOST CONTROL AND EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING.  THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE DID NOT CONSIDER IT AN ACCIDENT.  ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2018, INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE MET WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AT THE HANGAR WHERE HIS AIRCRAFT N4577C WAS LOCATED SINCE THE ACCIDENT.  THE AIRCRAFT CENTER FRAME BAR WAS BROKEN ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH AT THE NOSE GEAR ATTACHMENT POINT, THE LEFT WING CONTROL TUBE WAS BENT AND TWO OTHER ALUMINUM WING SUPPORT TUBES WERE ALSO BENT.  THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT ALONE ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND IN HIS STATEMENT HE STATED HE DIDN?T FLARE SOON ENOUGH WHILE LANDING.  THIS FLIGHT WAS THE STUDENTS SECOND SOLO FLIGHT.

## 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 GAA18CA554](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA554), Aug 25, 2018: Airborne Edge X Classic (N4557C), Lake Wales, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.