Accident Description
On March 5, 2016, at approximately 1346 mountain standard time, an experimental North Wing Apache weight-shift-control trike, bearing registration N242WT, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after takeoff from a field southeast of Queen Creek, Arizona. The non-certified pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The aircraft had been recently purchased and was not yet registered. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that after the owner assembled the aircraft, he performed a preflight inspection and completed a short test flight to about 10 feet above ground level (agl). No abnormalities were noted. On a subsequent departure, during climb-out at approximately 200 ft agl, he heard a "popping" sound, and the aircraft yawed to the right. The aircraft remained in level flight but was crabbing with the nose pointed right. A second pop occurred, and the aircraft turned hard right, lost wing lift, and began diving to the right. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to recover and deploy the ballistic parachute, but the aircraft did not recover and struck the ground in a nose-down attitude.
Witness Report
One witness observed the aircraft at about 200 ft agl, flying straight and level with normal engine sound. The aircraft then banked 20° right, continuing to bank until reaching approximately 85°. During the turn, the witness heard something snap twice, after which the aircraft impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude.
Investigation Findings
Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed no anomalies that would preclude normal operation. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted a broken rod on the right wing's internal strut sprog assembly, which attached to the leading edge. According to a design expert for the make and model, the sprog provides a positive twist to the leading edge during zero-lift flight and would not have been under load during the flight. Examination of the fracture surfaces by the National Transportation Safety Board material laboratory determined that the separation resulted from overload failure; no corrosion or pre-existing cracks were observed. The investigation was unable to determine the source of the sounds heard during the accident sequence.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The owner had purchased the two-seat aircraft about four days before the accident and had not registered it nor documented a current annual inspection. The pilot was not a certified pilot but reported 160 hours in single-engine aircraft and several hours in single-seat weight-shift ultralight aircraft. He had no hours accumulated in the make and model involved in the accident.