What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A/c departed downwind from a taxiway, striking a taxiway light on rotation and causing other helicopter traffic to abort takeoff.
Video shows a/c reacting to the turbulence of a gusty crosswind. Pilot was video-recorded flying at an estimated 200-400' AGL for 20-40 minutes before crashing into a tree in the back yard of a residence. Pilot was ejected from the aircraft and pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Fuel system was intact with fuel in filter, lines and carburetor bowls. Total fuel on board could not be determined. A strong fuel odor persisted at the scene for at least 4 hours. Witnesses reported the engine "sputtering" (Rotax engine) then "revving" before sounds of an impact. A certified Rotax mechanic could find no reason for power loss.
Family members stated that this was probably the pilot's the first or second flight as pilot, certainly in this a/c. a previous incident had resulted in damage to the amphibious landing gear which was poorly repaired with hardware pipe and poor welds.
The front control stick grip was found lying on the cockpit floor, separate from the elevator and aileron actuating linkage . The retention bolt was not installed nor located in the wreckage, nor were there signs of stress or deformation in the control assembly. The control stick could be easily removed from the control mechanism with a slight upward pull.
Discussion with family members suggest that the pilot thought he had purchased an ultralight and was probably unaware of any pilot or maintenance requirements for the experimental light sport aircraft he was flying. No aircraft or pilot training or certification records could be located. The a/c registration remained in the names of the previous owners.
As the FAA filed it
A/C DEPARTED DOWNWIND FROM A TAXIWAY, STRIKING A TAXIWAY LIGHT ON ROTATION AND CAUSING OTHER HELICOPTER TRAFFIC TO ABORT TAKEOFF.
VIDEO SHOWS A/C REACTING TO THE TURBULENCE OF A GUSTY CROSSWIND. PILOT WAS VIDEO-RECORDED FLYING AT AN ESTIMATED 200-400' AGL FOR 20-40 MINUTES BEFORE CRASHING INTO A TREE IN THE BACK YARD OF A RESIDENCE. PILOT WAS EJECTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
FUEL SYSTEM WAS INTACT WITH FUEL IN FILTER, LINES AND CARBURETOR BOWLS. TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. A STRONG FUEL ODOR PERSISTED AT THE SCENE FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINE "SPUTTERING" (ROTAX ENGINE) THEN "REVVING" BEFORE SOUNDS OF AN IMPACT. A CERTIFIED ROTAX MECHANIC COULD FIND NO REASON FOR POWER LOSS.
FAMILY MEMBERS STATED THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY THE PILOT'S THE FIRST OR SECOND FLIGHT AS PILOT, CERTAINLY IN THIS A/C. A PREVIOUS INCIDENT HAD RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE AMPHIBIOUS LANDING GEAR WHICH WAS POORLY REPAIRED WITH HARDWARE PIPE AND POOR WELDS.
THE FRONT CONTROL STICK GRIP WAS FOUND LYING ON THE COCKPIT FLOOR, SEPARATE FROM THE ELEVATOR AND AILERON ACTUATING LINKAGE . THE RETENTION BOLT WAS NOT INSTALLED NOR LOCATED IN THE WRECKAGE, NOR WERE THERE SIGNS OF STRESS OR DEFORMATION IN THE CONTROL ASSEMBLY. THE CONTROL STICK COULD BE EASILY REMOVED FROM THE CONTROL MECHANISM WITH A SLIGHT UPWARD PULL.
DISCUSSION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS SUGGEST THAT THE PILOT THOUGHT HE HAD PURCHASED AN ULTRALIGHT AND WAS PROBABLY UNAWARE OF ANY PILOT OR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT HE WAS FLYING. NO AIRCRAFT OR PILOT TRAINING OR CERTIFICATION RECORDS COULD BE LOCATED. THE A/C REGISTRATION REMAINED IN THE NAMES OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.