History of Flight
On December 22, 2010, about 0830 Hawaiian standard time, a special light sport weight-shift-control Apollo Delta Jet AS-III aircraft, N157AP, was substantially damaged during landing rollout following an off-airport precautionary landing near Poipu, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The instructional flight was marketed and coordinated by Big Sky Kauai (BSK). The accident pilot owned the aircraft and provided his aircraft and services to BSK on a contractual basis. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported conducting a thorough preflight inspection with no abnormalities. The accident aircraft and another AS-III from BSK took off from Port Allen Airport (PAK) about 0745. While cruising at 3,000 feet, the pilot noted unusual back pressure on the flight controls and observed the wing trailing edge fluttering. He initially felt as if the wing was entering a stall. The wing became extremely difficult to control with very little pitch authority and intense fluttering. He decided to return to PAK but due to controllability problems, opted to land on a golf course below. The grass was wet and uneven. During rollout, the nose slewed right and the craft tipped onto its left wing, fracturing the wing leading edge tube just outboard of the wing strut. The other aircraft circled to ensure the occupants were uninjured and then returned to PAK.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was designed and manufactured by Apollo North America. It was a two-place weight-shift-control-land vehicle with a metal and composite fuselage suspended from an aluminum tube fabric-skinned wing. The accident aircraft had an "Evolution Trikes Reflex 11 (Competition)" wing. The wing structure included two leading edge spar tubes attached to a common fitting. A fabric nose cone affixed by Velcro prevented ram air from entering the wings during flight. The wings could be folded for storage by pivoting the spars aft, requiring removal of the nose cone per manufacturer guidance. A manufacturer video showed the folding process took about 8 minutes. The aircraft was equipped with a 100 hp Rotax engine and tricycle landing gear. Due to design and materials, trikes are susceptible to weather effects and are best stored in a protective environment. The aircraft was based at PAK, where the nose cone and wing upper surface were at least 8 feet above ground. There was no evidence that BSK or the pilot used a stepladder to inspect these areas.
Meteorological Information
Automated weather observation near the accident time at an airport 8 miles northeast reported west winds of 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, and temperature 21°C.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Post-accident examination by an FAA inspector revealed that in addition to left wing damage from ground impact, the fabric nose cone was damaged. This damage was not consistent with impact from the accident, and no other pre-impact mechanical anomalies were observed. Photographs were provided to the manufacturer, who categorized the damage as unusual and "disturbing." The manufacturer ascribed the nose cone damage to repeated folding of the wing with the nose cone still installed, which adversely affected its functionality, allowing ram air to enter and inflate the wings, resulting in the pilot's control problems.
Organizational and Management Information
Big Sky Kauai was owned by James Gaither, who piloted flights in another trike. The accident pilot contracted his services and aircraft to BSK on an hourly basis. In February 2011, Gaither and a passenger received fatal injuries in a separate BSK trike accident; BSK subsequently ceased operations.
Additional Information
FAA regulations prohibit use of SLSA aircraft for revenue sightseeing. Several Hawaii operators, including BSK and the accident pilot, conducted introductory flights termed "discovery" flights, marketed as sightseeing but documented as instruction. The BSK website advertised powered hang glider tours, mentioning safety and scenic routes. FAA inspectors noted that operators conducted flight tours under the guise of flight instruction, with no follow-up training or ground school. The Honolulu Flight Standards District Office attempted to monitor these operations but faced resource constraints. The FSDO formed an "Air Tour Unit" and conducted annual safety meetings with LSA operators in Hawaii.