Pilot Debrief

EVOLUTION AIRCRAFT INC REVOLT near Seminole, TX — 2021-04-06

Final reportCEN21LA181
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Date
2021-04-06
Location
Seminole, TX, USA
Aircraft
EVOLUTION AIRCRAFT INC REVOLT
Registration
N565PK
Category
Trike
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The student pilot’s loss of trike control while maneuvering at low altitude in gusting wind conditions, resulting in an impact with terrain.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot was maneuvering the weight-shift-controlled trike at low altitude over his residence. A witness who knew the pilot reported that the accident flight was at a lower altitude than she was accustomed to seeing the pilot fly. She said that the trike made a sharp turn, a gust of wind caught the trike, and she observed the pilot try to recover, but the trike descended and struck the ground. The nearest weather reporting station recorded wind conditions of 12 knots with gusts to 18 knots from 160º. Impact evidence was consistent with a left-wing-low impact. Examination of the airframe, engine, and systems found no preimpact anomalies that would preclude normal operation. A video of the accident flight provided by a witness showed the trike being maneuvered about 50 ft above the ground and making turns with bank angles of about 45°. The video reportedly ended about 20 seconds before the accident. A video the pilot had sent to the trike manufacturer showed the pilot make a series of turns just after takeoff that reached bank angles of about 80° at altitudes of about 30 ft above ground level. The two videos demonstrate the pilot’s lack of judgment regarding the dangers of aggressive maneuvering at low altitude. Toxicological testing of the pilot’s specimens identified diphenhydramine and alprazolam, which have potentially sedating effects. While the pilot may have had some effects from his use of these medications, it is unlikely that these effects contributed to the accident circumstances given the pilot’s history of lack of judgment concerning aggressive maneuvering at low altitude. Based on the available evidence, the accident was a result of the student pilot’s loss of trike control while maneuvering at low altitude in gusting wind conditions.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided low-altitude banked turns to maintain control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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