What happened
On July 2, 2014, a North Wing Design Apache Sport weight-shift-control aircraft, registration N2725T, crashed in an open field near Omro, Wisconsin. The flight departed from Wilke Field at approximately 1800 central daylight time. About one hour into the flight, a witness observed the aircraft in a descending spiral that continued until it struck the terrain.
The aircraft impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude with a counterclockwise rotation. The impact resulted in 1 fatality for the student pilot and substantial damage to the aircraft. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions with visibility of 10 miles or greater.
The investigation
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted the on-scene investigation. Investigators found that the pilot had recently installed a high-performance wing on the aircraft, which was approximately one-third smaller than the original 17M wing. This modification increased both the cruise speed and the stall speeds of the aircraft. This was the first flight following the installation of the new wing.
Examination of the aircraft's structure, including the tubular cockpit and wing frame, showed no evidence of preimpact failure. The engine, a 65 horsepower Rotax 582E, showed no signs of malfunction, though fuel was only present in one of the two carburetors. The ballistic recovery chute (BRS) had not been deployed.
Toxicology results for the pilot showed the presence of amphetamine and tramadol. While the pilot had a history of drug addiction and was known to suffer from headaches, investigators could not determine if these substances contributed to the accident.