# NTSB CEN09LA299: Northwing Apache Sport, N61740, Franklinton, LA, May 13, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 13, 2009, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place: Franklinton, LA
- Coordinates: 30.819444, -90.112503 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.8194&lon=-90.1125&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report November 9, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73838
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA299
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73838/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73838
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA299

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of flight experience in the weight-shift trike.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Northwing APACHE SPORT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=059028G), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Northwing APACHE SPORT, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=059028G), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Experience/qualifications: total experience w/ equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Northwing APACHE SPORT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md?model=059028G), [All aircraft, 269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Northwing APACHE SPORT, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=059028G), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Northwing APACHE SPORT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=059028G), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Northwing APACHE SPORT, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=059028G), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On the second takeoff of the day, the weight-shift trike reached an estimated speed of 40 knots before the pilot pushed the flight control bar forward. The trike rotated, departed the runway, and climbed steeply to an altitude of around 100 feet. The passenger, a pilot with approximately 150 hours in a similar model trike, noted that the pilot did not return the control bar to the neutral position and the trike stalled. The passenger attempted to take control, but moments later the trike impacted the ground and came to rest in an inverted position on an adjacent golf course. The accident pilot was estimated to have purchased the trike three to four months previously and to have logged approximately 5 hours in type. Due to the extent of his injuries, the pilot was not able to be interviewed nor was he able to submit a NTSB accident form 6120.1. No record of an airman certificate was located for the pilot during the investigation. The passenger reported that he did not observe any mechanical anomalies with the trike before or during the attempted flight.

## Factual narrative

On May 13, 2009, about 0730 central daylight time, a single-engine Northwing Apache Sport weight-shift trike, N61740, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during takeoff from the Franklinton Airport (2R7), Franklinton Louisiana. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The trike was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the passenger, a pilot with approximately 150 hours in a similar model trike, the first flight of the day had originated at his house and had concluded at 2R7. While departing 2R7 the trike reached an estimated speed of 40 knots before the pilot pushed the flight control bar forward. The trike rotated, departed the runway, and climbed steeply to an altitude of around 100 feet. The passenger noted that the pilot did not return the control bar to the "neutral" position and the trike "stalled." The passenger attempted to take control, but moments later the trike impacted the ground and came to rest in an inverted position on an adjacent golf course. The passenger reported that he did not observe any mechanical anomalies with the trike before or during the attempted flight. The passenger further reported that the accident pilot had purchased the trike three to four months previously. He estimated that the pilot had logged approximately 5 hours in type, but had not been signed off for solo flight due to needed practice performing takeoffs and landings. No record of an airman certificate was located for the pilot during the investigation. Due to the extent of his injuries, the pilot was not able be interviewed nor was he able to submit a NTSB accident form 6120.1. A determination as to if the pilot intended the flight to be instructional was inconclusive.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N61740](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61740-2013-07-15), registration cancelled 2013-07-15, S/N 28142, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NORTHWING APACHE SPORT
- Registry model: [Northwing APACHE SPORT](https://openairdocs.org/model/northwing-apache-sport) (registry code 059028G) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 582SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ser) (registry code 55556, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Weight-shift
- Serial number: 28142
- Engines: Rotax 582 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed: 2R7, Franklinton, LA
- Destination: 2R7, Franklinton, LA
- Airport: 2R7, Franklinton Airport, runway 13, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; injuries: serious; medical: unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 5 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: HDC, 24 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20090513006769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090513006769A), May 13, 2009: Norwn APACHESPORT, Franklinton, LA, Destroyed. (-23) FSDO notificaton given to accident reported at Franklinton Airport (2R7) on 13 may 2009 @ 10:32. Disptached enroute to Franklinton Airport, Louisiana and…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 14, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73838. 5.8 MB in all.

- Passenger Record of Conversation (FAA) (item 1, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318691&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA)-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1. Wreckage (item 2, .PDF, 5.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318692&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Wreckage-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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