- Date
- October 2, 2016, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Valley, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N53AWAirborne Windsports PTY Edge XT 912 L
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 94144
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 failure of the aircraft’s right overcenter washout strut split ring, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain lateral control of the aircraft and subsequent ground impact.
Findings · 2
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 flight instructor in the weight-shift-control aircraft, he made two low approaches and two go-arounds to runway 36. He reported that, during the third approach, he crossed the runway threshold and "rounded up" and that the left wing "flew up, and the right wing dropped precipitously, as if it stalled." The aircraft swiftly yawed to the right and descended rapidly, and the pilot stated that he responded with a full control deflection. He added that the deflection leveled the aircraft just before impact with the turf and that the aircraft heading was about 35° to 50° right of the runway heading. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings and the airframe. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector examined the aircraft wreckage and was unable to locate the right overcenter washout strut spilt ring. The split ring connects the washout strut and the leading edge of the right wing spar, which allows the pilot to manipulate the aircraft's directional control. In postimpact photographs of the left side overcenter washout strut split ring, it appears to be partially attached, and the right side split ring was not located in the wreckage.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor in the weight shift control aircraft, he made two low approaches and two go-arounds to runway 36. He reported that during the third approach, he crossed the runway threshold, "rounded up" and the left wing "flew up, and the right wing dropped precipitously, as if it stalled." The aircraft swiftly yawed to the right, descended rapidly and the pilot avowed that he responded with a full control deflection. He added that the deflection leveled the aircraft just before impact with the turf, and the aircraft heading was about 35° to 50??° right of the runway heading. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings and the airframe. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Aviation Safety Inspector examined the aircraft wreckage and was unable to locate the right side over-center washout strut spilt ring. The split ring connects the washout strut and the leading edge of the right wing spar, which allows the pilot to manipulate the aircraft's directional control. Post-impact photographs of the left side over-center washout strut split ring appears to be partially attached, and the right side split ring was not located in the wreckage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53AW
- Reported as
- Airborne Windsports PTY Edge XT 912 L (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- XT-912-0182
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 913
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2016
- Departed
- GA81 · Fort Valley, GA
- Destination
- GA81 · Fort Valley, GA
- Airport
- GA81 · Cameron Field, runway 36, 3,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display
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
- 74
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,849 total · 1,212 in this make and model · 3,244.1 as pilot in command · 13.6 in the last 90 days · 3.4 in the last 30 days · 0.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KMCN, 12 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 5, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.