No fatalities

Weight-Shift Control Aircraft Tips Over During Takeoff Roll

Stow, MA, United States

On August 29, 2015, an AIR CREATION USA LLC SKYPPER NO SERIES operated by Air America was involved in an aviation accident near Stow, MA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Over-control of the steering pedals by the pilot receiving instruction, resulting in the aircraft tipping over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 17 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1785761257Data APIEditorial standards

A weight-shift control aircraft tipped over during takeoff roll after the student pilot over-controlled the steering pedals. The flight instructor reported no time to correct. Substantial damage occurred to the keel, control frame, and leading edge tube.

Incident Summary

A weight-shift control aircraft experienced a tip-over during the takeoff roll on an asphalt runway. According to the flight instructor, the pilot receiving instruction over-controlled the steering pedals, causing the aircraft to tip over. The instructor stated that the accident sequence occurred instantly and he did not have time to apply corrective measures.

Instructor Report

The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor attributed the event solely to the student pilot's steering pedal inputs.

Damage

The weight-shift control aircraft sustained substantial damage to the keel, control frame, and leading edge tube.

Probable cause

Over-control of the steering pedals by the pilot receiving instruction, resulting in the aircraft tipping over.

Contributing factors

Student/instructed pilotIncorrect use/operation