# NTSB WPR22FA189: Airborne Windsports PTY Edge XT-912-L, N490F, Granite Shoals, TX, May 29, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: May 29, 2022, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC) - Place: Granite Shoals, TX - Coordinates: 30.591989, -98.367975 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5920&lon=-98.3680&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO, Rotax-Rotech Flight Safety - NTSB case key (mKey): 105143 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22FA189 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105143/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105143 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA189 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall while landing with a gusting wind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger were on a local personal flight. Witnesses stated that they saw the weight-shift-control trike flying in the area for about 20-30 minutes before the accident. A witness on the south end of the airport saw the trike flying in the area as it made several passes over the airpark. He did not witness the accident but recalled the wind condition to be “super windy.” Another witness stated that the wind condition was “swift” with gusts at the time of the accident. The trike impacted a tree and the ground near the approach end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the wing and carriage. The weather observations taken 25 minutes before the accident showed southerly winds at velocities of 4 to 11 knots with increasing velocities and gusts to 21 knots. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on this information, it is likely that the accident pilot allowed the airplane to exceed its critical angle of attack while on final approach and the trike entered an aerodynamic stall at too low an altitude to successfully recover. The strong, gusting wind conditions increased the likelihood of a sudden increase in angle of attack as the pilot approached the runway at a slow speed, already operating near the trike’s critical angle of attack. ## Factual narrative On May 29, 2022, about 0800 central daylight time (cdt), an Airborne Windsports Edge weight shift control (WSC) light sport aircraft, commonly referred to as a trike, N490F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Granite Shoals, Texas. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The trike was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A residential security camera located near the Granite Shoals/Bob Sylvester Airpark (2G5), Granite Shoals, Texas, captured the trike at 0709 taxiing towards the approach end of runway 20. Witnesses in the vicinity of 2G5 saw the trike flying in the area for about 20-30 minutes before the accident. A witness on the south end of the airport saw the trike flying in the area as it made several passes over the airpark. He did not witness the accident but recalled the wind condition to be “super windy.” Another witness stated that the wind condition was “swift” with gusts at the time of the accident. The 0735 cdt, weather observations from Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport (DZB), Horseshoe Bay, Texas, located about 4 miles south of the accident site, showed southerly winds at 4 knots increasing to 13 knots with gusts to 19 knots by 0915 cdt. At 0753, the wind conditions reported at the Burnet Municipal Airport (BMQ), Burnet, Texas, located about 13 miles northeast, of the accident site were from 190° at 11 knots gusting to 21 knots. The National Weather Service (NWS) Area Forecast Discussion also noted that the winds were expected to become gusty in the late morning, and the NWS had an Airman’s Meteorological Information (AIRMET) for low-level turbulence, which was also indicated by the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) sounding over the area. An examination of the accident site revealed that the trike impacted a mesquite tree near the approach end of runway 20. The trike’s wing separated from the carriage (cockpit area) and remained lodged in the tree. The wreckage debris field was about 115 ft long and on a southerly heading. The engine and carriage remained intact and came to rest at the end of the debris field. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airport was situated at an elevation of 860 ft above mean sea level. It was equipped with one runway where its surface is a mix of turf and gravel. The runway, designated 2/20, measured 2,000 ft long by 50 ft wide. The airport was not equipped with an air traffic control tower. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Weight-Shift Control Aircraft Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-5), “Power-on approaches at an airspeed above the normal approach speed should be used for landing in turbulent air. This provides for more energy and positive control of the aircraft when strong horizontal wind gusts, wind shear, or up and down drafts, are experienced. Like other power-on approaches(when the pilot can vary the amount of power), a coordinated combination of both speed and power adjustments is usually required. It is easiest to think of flying the aircraft onto the ground at an airspeed above the stall speed. The additional power provides the pilot the ability to reduce the descent rate to touch the wheels gently to the surface at a higher speed. Landing in turbulent air is where practice and experience in energy management are utilized. This precise coordination of power and speed for higher energy landings should first be practiced in calm air and can be used as the next step in learning landings after the student becomes proficient at low approaches.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N490F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N490F), registered now, S/N XT-912-0394 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBORNE WINDSPORTS PTY LTD EDGE XT-912-L - Registry model: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L](https://openairdocs.org/model/airborne-windsports-pty-edge-xt-912-l) (registry code 060003A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912UL series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (registry code 55571, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: XT-912-0394 - Airframe hours: 978 - Engines: Rotax 912-UL 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 10, 2021 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 2G5, Granite Shoals/Bob Sylvester Airpark, runway 20, 2,000 × 50 ft, gravel - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: fatal; sport pilot; seat: front; restraint: lap only; toxicology performed; flight hours: 500 total, 50 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.78 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KDZB, 4 nm away - METAR: METAR KDZB 291255Z AUTO 18006KT 10SM SCT017 23/19 A2978 RMK AO2 T02310193= ## 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 20220529021619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220529021619A), May 29, 2022: Airborne Windsports Pty Ltd EDGE XT-912-L, Granite Shoals, TX, Substantial damage, 2 fatal. On may 29, 2022, at 0815, an Airborne Windsports Pty Ltd, edge XT-912-L light sport weight shift control aircraft bearing registration number [privacy data… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105143. 39.9 MB in all. - Record of conversation-corker (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13978053&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Corker_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-mccarthy (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13978412&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-McCarthy_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-satterfield (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 157 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13978206&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Satterfield_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB accident site summary (item 4, PDF, 7 pages, 7 photos, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16721721&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR22FA189%20Accident%20Site%20Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Photo array-ntsb onsite (item 5, PDF, 7 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16722049&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-NTSB%20Onsite-Rel.pdf - Photo array-granite shoals police department (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16721883&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-PD-Rel.pdf - Photo array-google earth images (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 508 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16720991&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Google%20Earth%20Images,%20accident%20site.-Rel.pdf - Toxicology report-pilot (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16721893&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Tox1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Aircraft maintenance records (item 9, PDF, 10 pages, 24.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16750940&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20Log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation-rotax (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 497 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16714096&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Party%20Form-Rotax_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB wreckage examination summary (item 11, PDF, 12 pages, 15 photos, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13977200&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR22FA189%20Wreckage%20Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Meteorology factual (item 12, PDF, 19 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14967434&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR22FA189%20-%20Granite%20Shoals,%20TX%20WX%20Factual-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. --- 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.