What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 11, 2025, privacy data omitted departed 1L8 with an intended destination of gcn for a touch and go and a return flight to 1L8. An IMC flight plan was filed to allow the passenger (a certificated pilot) to train for their instrument rating. The flight to gcn went uneventfully and during the last 30 minutes of the return flight, the PIC named in the report assumed control of the aircraft. At ~15 nautical miles from the intended destination, the PIC began to perform several commercial maneuvers. During the second maneuver, the PIC entered a turn with an aggressive initial bank angle while under reduced power. This caused the aircraft’s nose to dip and the aircraft to rapidly increase airspeed. Airspeed indications were noted as being 140 knots which exceeded the allowable vne of 135 knots. The PIC was able to recover by pulling back on the controls and reducing the throttle to idle; however, at some point during this transition the aircraft began to experience aerodynamic buffeting and the left flaperon departed the aircraft. The PIC did not experience significant change in aircraft flight characteristics after that maneuver and decided to continue to 1L8 where the aircraft landed uneventfully. A post damage assessment identified that all but four feet of the left flaperon was missing and that there was an ~one foot tear in the composite skin on the underside of the left wing root. A 44709 re-examination and counselling are being recommended and this investigation is being closed with no further action required at this time.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 11, 2025, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED 1L8 WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF GCN FOR A TOUCH AND GO AND A RETURN FLIGHT TO 1L8. AN IMC FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED TO ALLOW THE PASSENGER (A CERTIFICATED PILOT) TO TRAIN FOR THEIR INSTRUMENT RATING. THE FLIGHT TO GCN WENT UNEVENTFULLY AND DURING THE LAST 30 MINUTES OF THE RETURN FLIGHT, THE PIC NAMED IN THE REPORT ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AT ~15 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE INTENDED DESTINATION, THE PIC BEGAN TO PERFORM SEVERAL COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS. DURING THE SECOND MANEUVER, THE PIC ENTERED A TURN WITH AN AGGRESSIVE INITIAL BANK ANGLE WHILE UNDER REDUCED POWER. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT’S NOSE TO DIP AND THE AIRCRAFT TO RAPIDLY INCREASE AIRSPEED. AIRSPEED INDICATIONS WERE NOTED AS BEING 140 KNOTS WHICH EXCEEDED THE ALLOWABLE VNE OF 135 KNOTS. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO RECOVER BY PULLING BACK ON THE CONTROLS AND REDUCING THE THROTTLE TO IDLE; HOWEVER, AT SOME POINT DURING THIS TRANSITION THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE AERODYNAMIC BUFFETING AND THE LEFT FLAPERON DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PIC DID NOT EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS AFTER THAT MANEUVER AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO 1L8 WHERE THE AIRCRAFT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. A POST DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIED THAT ALL BUT FOUR FEET OF THE LEFT FLAPERON WAS MISSING AND THAT THERE WAS AN ~ONE FOOT TEAR IN THE COMPOSITE SKIN ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LEFT WING ROOT. A 44709 RE-EXAMINATION AND COUNSELLING ARE BEING RECOMMENDED AND THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING CLOSED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED AT THIS TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.