- Date
- October 18, 2014, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Sebring, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N29MEAirborne Windsports PTY Edge XT 912 L
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20141018018879A
- Case key
- 90271
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's inadvertent interference with the weight-shift capability of the airplane during the initial climb, resulting in a loss of airplane control and hard landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the instructor pilot, he was beginning a local, instructional flight with a student in his weight-shift-control airplane. During the initial climb, the weight-shift capability of the wing became inadvertently restricted by the student, who was seated in the front seat. Due to the tandem seating arrangement, the instructor was unable to get the student's attention to release control. The student was "younger and stronger" than the instructor. The airplane rolled and impacted hard on the grassy area adjacent to the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that substantial damage resulted to the airframe's tubular structure and the wing. The instructor pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
According to the instructor pilot, he was beginning a local, instructional flight with a student in his weight-shift-control airplane. During the initial climb, the weight-shift capability of the wing became inadvertently restricted by the student, who was seated in the front seat. Due to the tandem seating arrangement, the instructor was unable to get the student's attention to release control. The student was "younger and stronger" than the instructor. The airplane rolled and impacted hard on the grassy area adjacent to the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that substantial damage resulted to the airframe's tubular structure and the wing. The instructor pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29ME
- Reported as
- Airborne Windsports PTY Edge XT 912 L (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- XT-912-0334
- Built
- 2009
- Airframe hours
- 55
- Engine
- Rotax 912 Series, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 27, 2014 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- SEF · Sebring, FL
- Destination
- SEF · Sebring, FL
- Airport
- SEF · Sebring Regional, runway 01, 5,234 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Sport Pilot, Recreational
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- July 24, 2014
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 508 total · 144 in this make and model · 455 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- SEF
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.