- Date
- July 11, 2025, 10:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado City, AZ · Airport Environment
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N209ZMPipistrel Alpha Trainer
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA – SLC FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250711009139A
- Case key
- 200542
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 exceedance of the airplane’s never-exceed speed (VNE) during maneuvering, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the left flaperon.
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 reported that during a steep turn maneuver, the airplane pitched down and accelerated rapidly. The pilot stated that the airplane exceeded the never-exceed speed (VNE) and encountered aerodynamic buffeting, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the outboard portion of the left flaperon and substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N209ZM
- Reported as
- Pipistrel Alpha Trainer
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5380
- Airframe hours
- 1,214.4
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Final Design Group LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 24, 2025 · 77 hours before
- Departed
- KGCN · Grand Canyon Village, AZ
- Destination
- 1L8 · Hurricane, UT
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Angle of attack indicator
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 24, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 272 total · 123 in this make and model · 227 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 29, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 163 total · 158 in this make and model · 102 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KAZC, 18 nm away
- METAR
- KAZC 111755Z AUTO 18004KT 10SM CLR 33/M10 A3013 RMK AO2
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.