# Accident 20181117022659A: Tl Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT, Clermont, FL, November 17, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 17, 2018, 11:20 local time
- Place: Clermont, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.4214° N, 81.6911° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4214&lon=-81.6911&mi=10
- Aircraft: N494N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N494N-2020-06-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: TL Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT (registry code 060001R, https://openairdocs.org/model/tl-ultralight-sro-stingsport) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TL ULTRALIGHT SRO STINGSPORT
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 182 total, 67 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA19LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA050) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181117022659A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRFT N494N, A TL-ULTRALIGHT SRO TL-2000 STINGSPORT, WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT FROM ARCADIA AIRPORT (X06), FL TO APOPKA AIRPORT (X04), FL ON NOVEMBER 17, 2018.  AT APPORXIMATELY 11:20 LOCAL TIME THE PILOT STATED HE WAS RESPONDING TO A TRAFFIC ALERT COMING FROM HIS FOREFLIGHT APP ON HIS PHONE WITH A LEFT DESCENDING TURN.  BACK IN CRUISE FLIGHT HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS ABOUT 138 KTS.  HE MADE A POWER CHANGE WHICH MADE THE AIRCRAFT YAW TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT WING DROP AND ENTER WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE A SPIN.  HE STATES THAT HE EXECUTED THE RECOVERY RECOMMENDED IN THE OPERATORS MANUAL.  ONCE OUT OF THE SPIN HE STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO RAISE THE NOSE AND THE AIRCRAFTED ROTATED NOSE DOWN.  THIS SUDDEN DOWNWARD PITCH MOVEMENT  FORCED HIM TO HIT HIS HEAD ON THE CANOPY WHICH BROKE THE GLASS .  THE PILOT STATED THAT AT THAT POINT HE BEGAN TO GRADUAULLY PULL THE STICK BACK TO RAISE THE NOSE BUT RECIEVED NO ELEVATOR RESPONSE.  AT THIS POINT HE ACTIVATED THE BALLISTC PARACHUTE.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN COW PASTURE.  THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED SUBSTANCIAL DAMAGE TO NOSE GEAR, AND PROPELLER.

THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER (WITH THE ELEVATOR AND ELEVATOR TRIM ATTACHED) CAME OFF THE AIRCRAFT IN ONE PIECE.  THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LANDED A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT.

THREE WITNESSES MADE STATEMENTS.  TWO WITNESS STATEMENTS SUPPORT THE EVENTS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT.  THE THIRD WITNESS STATESMENT DESCRIBES EVENTS AFTER THE PARACHUTE WAS DEPLOYED.

THE PILOT SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES.  AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANCIALLY DAMAGED.

## 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 ERA19LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA050), Nov 17, 2018: Ultralite Sro Stingsport (N494N), Clermont, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: An inflight failure of the airplane’s horizontal stabilizer.

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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