# NTSB ERA26LA017: Tricks Trike Storm, Gaffney, SC, October 13, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 13, 2025, 17:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place: Gaffney, SC
- Coordinates: 35.033333, -81.7 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0333&lon=-81.7000&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 April 30, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201866
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA017
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201866/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201866
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA017

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during the initial climb, which resulted in an impact with terrain.

## Findings

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

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/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: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of an unregistered experimental weight-shift-control aircraft was attempting to depart from private property with one passenger onboard. The pilot reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, while attempting to clear trees, the aircraft stalled and impacted terrain. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Tricks Trike Storm
- Category: Weight-shift, amateur-built
- Serial number: None
- Engines: Rotax reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Tracy Blanton
- Airworthiness certificate: None
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: serious; sport pilot; medical: sport pilot

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observed at: SPA, 14 nm away
- METAR: METAR KSPA 132055Z AUTO 02004KT 10SM SCT050 BKN085 26/11 A2991

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201866. 4.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19696056&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� FAA inspector statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 161 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20266409&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20ERA26LA017%20CLAMP-Rel-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photograph (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 398 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19696446&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA017%20Investigation%20Photograph%20for%20Docket-Rel.pdf
- Weather reports and records (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 230 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20266132&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=METAR-Rel.pdf
- Foreign notification correspondence (ouo) (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 574 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20265875&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Foriegn%20Notification%20Corrispondence-Rel-Rel.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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