What happened
On August 6, 2017, an experimental amateur-built North Wing Freedom weight-shift controlled aircraft, registration N2854L, crashed during an attempted departure from Trinca Airport (13N) in Green Township, New Jersey. The flight was intended to be a local flight, and the pilot was operating under personal flight regulations. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 250 degrees at 3 knots.
Prior to takeoff, the pilot encountered difficulty securing the crossbar restraint cable, which is used to hold the foldable wing in its open flight position. To apply enough tension to the cable, the pilot used a separate cargo-type ratchet strap. After performing two ground test runs on the turf runway, the pilot took off. Approximately 50 feet above the ground, the aircraft experienced lateral oscillations before the wing partially folded into its storage configuration. The nose of the wing rose as the wingtips rotated toward the rear, causing the aircraft to descend and impact the runway.
The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury due to multiple blunt force injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that the crossbar restraint cable was not properly attached to its hook fitting at the rear of the wing keel tube. While the spring lock on the hook was intact and functioning, the nylon webbing strap—which serves as a handle to pull the cable into place—was found torn and separated from one of its mounting points. A 2-inch tear was identified in the center of the webbing.
Mechanical examination of the aircraft revealed that the wing had separated from its mounting brackets on the fuselage. The right wing strut was fractured, and the aft flying wires were severed. The engine, a BMW model R1200, remained mostly undamaged, though the propeller blades were fractured or missing. The ballistic airframe parachute system was intact and had not been activated.