History of the Flight
On November 8, 2012, at about 0904 Pacific standard time, an experimental light sport North Wing Scout X-C weight-shift-control trike, registration N467XW, collided with the ground while maneuvering near Waterville, Washington. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Lake Chelan Airport (S10) at about 0830. A witness observed the trike at 300–400 feet above ground level, traveling westbound, then entering a left turn that continued into a spin; after 2–3 rotations, the aircraft impacted in a nose-low attitude.
Personnel Information
The student pilot, aged 36, held a student sport pilot certificate with a make and model endorsement, issued August 11, 2012. He was not required to hold an FAA medical certificate and used a current state driver's license. His logbook showed his first flight in weight-shift-control aircraft on June 28, 2012, and he had accumulated about 28 total hours, including 7.5 solo and 20.5 dual instruction from the aft-seat passenger. The passenger endorsed the student's logbook for solo cross-country training, pre-solo exams, and other sport pilot knowledge tests.
The student pilot had recently purchased the accident aircraft and logged three solo flights prior to the accident. Most of his training, including dual instruction, occurred in a similar trike equipped with instructor control bars, flown with the pilot-rated passenger.
The pilot-rated passenger, aged 58, held a sport pilot instructor certificate issued January 22, 2012, and had about 2,305 hours as pilot in command and about 1,506 hours as an instructor in weight-shift-control aircraft. The accident aircraft lacked aft seat flight controls, and the passenger's role during the flight was not determined. The student pilot was preparing for a sport pilot practical test, but the intentions for this flight were not established.
Aircraft Information
The North Wing Scout X-C was a single-engine, pusher-propeller, tandem two-seat weight-shift-control trike manufactured in accordance with ASTM specifications. It received an FAA experimental light-sport airworthiness certificate on October 16, 2012. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was 1,060 pounds, with an empty weight of 555 pounds. The Rotax 912 four-stroke engine produced 80 horsepower and provided a cruise speed of about 65 mph. The pilot-passenger carriage suspended from a triangular frame allowed weight-shift control from the forward seat. The aircraft was not equipped with dual flight controls or a ballistic recovery parachute system. The pilot's operating handbook stated that "deliberate spins and severe spiral turns are prohibited."
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the wreckage revealed extensive fragmentation, aft crushing, and impact damage throughout the carriage and instrument panel. Both seats were displaced, and the carriage containment area sustained extensive damage. The fuel tanks were breached. The trike mast and control frame remained attached to the keel tube but sustained extensive damage. Wing struts were in place with impact damage, and the wing fabric was continuous but ripped in multiple locations. The engine assembly was intact and attached; no preexisting oil or coolant leaks were found. The propeller assembly showed damage: one blade sheared near the root, another twisted and deformed with leading-edge damage, and a third blade undamaged. Postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and flight controls found no preimpact condition that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot was performed on November 9, 2012. The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute conducted forensic toxicology with negative results for drugs of abuse and alcohol.