What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Date of accident: 11/12/2022
Time of accident: approximately 1228.
Weather: visual meteorological conditions
Aircraft type: ultralight- weight shift trike type with delta shaped wing.
Registration: none (not required).
Pilot: had a private pilot certificate with a glider rating.
Cause: aircraft struck object (trees)
Description: pilot crashed aircraft into a wooded area located near privacy data omitted Titusville, Florida. It was reported on the initial call with the deputy on scene that the aircraft had struck several trees. The aircraft was destroyed and there was no evidence of fire. The wreckage of the aircraft was moved and stored. When an inspection of the wreckage was scheduled, it had been parted and no inspection was conducted.
The pilot was seriously injured and unavailable for questioning by the investigating inspector during the immediate time after the accident.
Later the pilot's wife reported that the pilot had died, apparently as a result of his injuries from the accident.
The pilot's wife stated that she had heard that people below thought it sounded like the pilot was trying to start the engine as it flew over. She said that he would get air born, turn off the engine and glide. She thought he may have been trying to start the engine, got too low and struck the trees.
At the time of this report the investigating inspector could not verify that the engine was not running as it approached the wooded area.
As the FAA filed it
DATE OF ACCIDENT: 11/12/2022
TIME OF ACCIDENT: APPROXIMATELY 1228.
WEATHER: VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
AIRCRAFT TYPE: ULTRALIGHT- WEIGHT SHIFT TRIKE TYPE WITH DELTA SHAPED WING.
REGISTRATION: NONE (NOT REQUIRED).
PILOT: HAD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH A GLIDER RATING.
CAUSE: AIRCRAFT STRUCK OBJECT (TREES)
DESCRIPTION: PILOT CRASHED AIRCRAFT INTO A WOODED AREA LOCATED NEAR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA. IT WAS REPORTED ON THE INITIAL CALL WITH THE DEPUTY ON SCENE THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE. THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED AND STORED. WHEN AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS SCHEDULED, IT HAD BEEN PARTED AND NO INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED.
THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND UNAVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONING BY THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR DURING THE IMMEDIATE TIME AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
LATER THE PILOT'S WIFE REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD DIED, APPARENTLY AS A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT.
THE PILOT'S WIFE STATED THAT SHE HAD HEARD THAT PEOPLE BELOW THOUGHT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO START THE ENGINE AS IT FLEW OVER. SHE SAID THAT HE WOULD GET AIR BORN, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND GLIDE. SHE THOUGHT HE MAY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE, GOT TOO LOW AND STRUCK THE TREES.
AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR COULD NOT VERIFY THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AS IT APPROACHED THE WOODED AREA.