What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 14, 2025, the riverside FAA FSDO received an email from the pilot involved in an aircraft incident at Apple Valley Airport, Apple Valley CA. Date of incident was April 4, 2025 at 4:45 PST time. The pilot is a student pilot with over 100 hours with several hours in the Remos G3-600 aircraft flown on this day. The flight was a solo flight performing pattern work. Sky was clear with winds at 7 knots variable from 320 degrees to 020 degrees. The pilot stated that he lined up on runway 36, applied full throttle, instruments were in the green, rotated at 35 knots and suddenly the aircraft abruptly climbed. The nose was pushed down to gain air speed, but he felt as though he had lost lift. The nose dipped and aircraft was pushed to the left. The pilot stated that it felt like it was a gust of wind or windshear, and attempted to regain control of the aircraft however struck the A5 sign located on the side of the runway. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear, propeller and FAR rear bottom of the empennage. On may 09, 2025, an inspector from the riverside FSDO met with the pilot as well as his instructor to gain additional information. Both stated that on that day the wind was variable and wind shear conditions were possible. The flght instructor stated that his student took the correct action by pushing forward to gain airspeed and control, but the wind had taken over the aircraft moving it towards the sign. The aircraft would have sustained FAR less damage if the sign was not a factor. Apple Valley Airport has a reputation for windshear and the light sport aircraft may have been a factor having an empty weight of only 625 lbs. The insurance co. had yet to see the aircraft for a loss report at the time of this visit, however the aircraft had significant damage. This investigation is considered closed with no additional findings.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 14, 2025, THE RIVERSIDE FAA FSDO RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE PILOT INVOLVED IN AN AIRCRAFT INCIDENT AT APPLE VALLEY AIRPORT, APPLE VALLEY CA. DATE OF INCIDENT WAS APRIL 4, 2025 AT 4:45 PST TIME. THE PILOT IS A STUDENT PILOT WITH OVER 100 HOURS WITH SEVERAL HOURS IN THE REMOS G3-600 AIRCRAFT FLOWN ON THIS DAY. THE FLIGHT WAS A SOLO FLIGHT PERFORMING PATTERN WORK. SKY WAS CLEAR WITH WINDS AT 7 KNOTS VARIABLE FROM 320 DEGREES TO 020 DEGREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LINED UP ON RUNWAY 36, APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, INSTRUMENTS WERE IN THE GREEN, ROTATED AT 35 KNOTS AND SUDDENLY THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY CLIMBED. THE NOSE WAS PUSHED DOWN TO GAIN AIR SPEED, BUT HE FELT AS THOUGH HE HAD LOST LIFT. THE NOSE DIPPED AND AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT FELT LIKE IT WAS A GUST OF WIND OR WINDSHEAR, AND ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT HOWEVER STRUCK THE A5 SIGN LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR, PROPELLER AND FAR REAR BOTTOM OF THE EMPENNAGE. ON MAY 09, 2025, AN INSPECTOR FROM THE RIVERSIDE FSDO MET WITH THE PILOT AS WELL AS HIS INSTRUCTOR TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. BOTH STATED THAT ON THAT DAY THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AND WIND SHEAR CONDITIONS WERE POSSIBLE. THE FLGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HIS STUDENT TOOK THE CORRECT ACTION BY PUSHING FORWARD TO GAIN AIRSPEED AND CONTROL, BUT THE WIND HAD TAKEN OVER THE AIRCRAFT MOVING IT TOWARDS THE SIGN. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED FAR LESS DAMAGE IF THE SIGN WAS NOT A FACTOR. APPLE VALLEY AIRPORT HAS A REPUTATION FOR WINDSHEAR AND THE LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR HAVING AN EMPTY WEIGHT OF ONLY 625 LBS. THE INSURANCE CO. HAD YET TO SEE THE AIRCRAFT FOR A LOSS REPORT AT THE TIME OF THIS VISIT, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CONSIDERED CLOSED WITH NO ADDITIONAL FINDINGS.