- Date
- January 31, 2015, 10:42 local (15:42 UTC)
- Place
- Bushnell, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N40EVEvolution Revo
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150131000879A
- Case key
- 90695
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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during approach in variable wind, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
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
The pilot of the special light sport weight shift aircraft stated that he was attempting to land at a private airstrip for a breakfast fly-in. The pilot had to perform two go-arounds due to other traffic in the airport traffic pattern. During the third attempt, while on final approach to runway 9, the pilot extended his glidepath due to another aircraft back-taxiing on the 3,415-foot-long turf runway. The pilot intended to land further down the runway; however, the airspeed decreased when he extended the glidepath. There was also a wind shift when the aircraft was about 15 feet above the runway, which caused it to stall and impact the runway. The aircraft subsequently came to rest inverted on the runway. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to both wings. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The pilot added that the wind was variable at 9 knots, gusting to 12 knots. The recorded wind information at an airport located about 17 miles from the accident site was similar, indicating variable wind from 020 to 090 degrees at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the special light sport weight shift aircraft stated that he was attempting to land at a private airstrip for a breakfast fly-in. The pilot had to perform two go-arounds due to other traffic in the airport traffic pattern. During the third attempt, while on final approach to runway 9, the pilot extended his glidepath due to another aircraft back-taxiing on the 3,415-foot-long turf runway. The pilot intended to land further down the runway; however, the airspeed decreased when he extended the glidepath. There was also a wind shift when the aircraft was about 15 feet above the runway, which caused it to stall and impact the runway. The aircraft subsequently came to rest inverted on the runway. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to both wings. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The pilot added that the wind was variable at 9 knots, gusting to 12 knots. The recorded wind information at an airport located about 17 miles from the accident site was similar, indicating variable wind from 020 to 090 degrees at 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40EV
- Reported as
- Evolution Revo
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- 1013
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 40
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Allen Gadoury
- Registered owner
- Evolution Aircraft Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed
- ZPH · Zephyrhills, FL
- Destination
- 9FL1 · Bushnell, FL
- Airport
- 9FL1 · Flying W Airranch, runway 09, 3,415 × 100 ft
- Equipment
- Airframe parachute
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 1,200 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE, 17 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.