20240526009389A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aircraft · Folsom, CA · May 26, 2024

Date
May 26, 2024 · 19:31 local
Place
Folsom, CA
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
Ultralight vehicle (Part 103)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
NONE
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Student

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

After takeoff during climb out, ultralight pilot made a left-hand turn to crosswind. While turning, pilot expereinced a loss of lift beginning on the left side of the wing that progressed along the entire wing's surface. This led to an unarrested fall from 30 ft above ground level into an undeveloped dirt field. Pilot stated in an interview by phone that the engine was operating normally.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER TAKEOFF DURING CLIMB OUT, ULTRALIGHT PILOT MADE A LEFT-HAND TURN TO CROSSWIND. WHILE TURNING, PILOT EXPEREINCED A LOSS OF LIFT BEGINNING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WING THAT PROGRESSED ALONG THE ENTIRE WING'S SURFACE. THIS LED TO AN UNARRESTED FALL FROM 30 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL INTO AN UNDEVELOPED DIRT FIELD. PILOT STATED IN AN INTERVIEW BY PHONE THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY.