Pilot Debrief

SOLO WINGS WINDLASS AQUILLA near Starke, FL — 2011-04-23

Final reportERA11LA263
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Date
2011-04-23
Location
Starke, FL, USA
Airport
NONE
Aircraft
SOLO WINGS WINDLASS AQUILLA
Registration
N94370
Category
Trike
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of airplane control while taxiing, which resulted in the weight-shift-controlled airplane becoming inadvertently airborne and subsequently impacting the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of the accident airplane.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of the accident airplane.

NTSB narrative

The pilot had not previously flown the weight-shift-control airplane that he had purchased about 2 months before the accident and was practicing high-speed taxiing at a grass airstrip oriented on a west-northwest/east-southeast heading. The airplane subsequently became airborne and impacted the ground in a steep nose-down, left-wing-low attitude just short of a tree located about 500 feet north of the runway. The airplane's direction of travel along the runway could not be determined; however, if the airplane was transitioning from west to east, the surrounding terrain would have resulted in the airplane being more exposed to a reported southeast wind. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot's total weight-shift-control airplane flight experience consisted of 5.7 hours flown with a flight instructor in another model airplane. Toxicological testing revealed volatiles related to alcohol; however, since the tissue specimens tested had undergone putrefaction and the pilot's wife stated that he did not consume any alcohol, the findings were likely the result of post-mortem production.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have assessed aircraft handling before attempting high-speed taxi.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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