# NTSB ERA10CA470: North Wing Uum Sport X2, N374WZ, Winterville, NC, September 6, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 6, 2010, 09:27 local (13:27 UTC) - Place: Winterville, NC - Coordinates: 35.482776, -77.353332 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4828&lon=-77.3533&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 5, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77214 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA470 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77214/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77214 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA470 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of directional control while landing during an encounter with a wind gust. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [North Wing Uum SPORT X2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=060006B), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [North Wing Uum SPORT X2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=060006B), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [North Wing Uum SPORT X2, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=060006B), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [North Wing Uum SPORT X2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=060006B), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he made a normal approach to the runway with a light headwind in his experimental light sport, weight-shift trike. During the landing flare, with the trike about 5 to 10 feet above the ground, it encountered a gust of wind. The pilot was unable to straighten the trike and it impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The wind was reported as calm at an airport 8 miles to the north at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he made a normal approach to the runway with a "light head wind" in his experimental light sport, weight-shift trike. During the landing flare, when the trike was about 5 to 10 feet off the ground, "an unexpected gust or ground turbulence threw [the trike] sharp right off the runway." The pilot was unable to straighten the trike, which then impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the trike. The winds were reported as calm at an airport 8 miles to the north at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N374WZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N374WZ-2014-12-22), registration cancelled 2014-12-22, S/N LS7012, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NORTH WING UUM INC SPORT X2 - Registry model: [North Wing Uum SPORT X2](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-wing-uum-sport-x2) (registry code 060006B) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ser) (registry code 55556, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: LS7012 - Airframe hours: 65 - Engines: ROTAX 582 65 horsepower - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Carroll Liverman - Registered owner: Carroll Liverman - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 27, 2010 - Departed: NC47, Winterville, NC - Destination: NC47, Winterville, NC - Airport: NC47, South Oak Aerodrome, runway 07, 1,850 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 79 total, 70 in this make and model, 52 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: PGV, 8 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 20100906044659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100906044659A), Sep 6, 2010: North Wing SPORT X2, Winterville, NC, Substantial damage. Pilot was landing a motorized hand-glider on a landing strip on private property. Pilot lost control during the landing roll and flipped the aircraft after… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77214. 7.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 7.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336995&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336994&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Recorded METAR reports (item 3, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336996&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recorded%20METAR%20reports-Master.PDF - Photo 1: Aircraft at accident site (item 4, .PDF, 17 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336437&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Aircraft%20at%20accident%20site-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Aircraft at accident site (item 5, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336438&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Aircraft%20at%20accident%20site-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.