On April 25, 2018, about 1015 Pacific daylight time, a North Wing UUM Inc Sport X2-N, weight-shift control, special light sport airplane, N366DN, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control during landing at Calvada Meadows Airport (K74P), Pahrump, Nevada. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 visual flight rules flight when the accident occurred. The sport pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed K74P for a local flight in the traffic pattern.
According to a witness, during a previous landing attempt, the airplane descended toward the runway at a steep angle and failed to flare prior to touching down hard. Following the ground contact, he heard the engine advance and the airplane went around while attempting to gain control of the airplane. The pilot then made four subsequent approaches to the runway, without touching down. On the fifth approach, the airplane appeared to overshoot the runway and then landed hard, bouncing about 30-50ft before touching down again and departing the left side of the runway, coming to rest inverted.
The pilot stated on NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, that on the landing attempt immediately preceding the accident, he hit hard on the runway and became airborne again. He increased the throttle to gain altitude to go around and re-attempt the landing. As he gained altitude, he realized the airplane was difficult to control and when he made a left turn to enter a downwind leg of the traffic pattern "the aircraft went into a violent left turn."
After several more landing attempts, the pilot was getting physically fatigued from fighting to maintain control and decided to make a full-stop landing. After touching down on the runway, he felt the airplane accelerate before it began to cartwheel and departed the left side of the runway.
The airplane was designed in such a way that the throttle is controlled by the pilot through the use of a foot pedal.
A post-accident examination by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, revealed substantial damage to the wing and a broken engine mount sway bar. Upon further examination it was discovered that the brakes had been removed and the brake lines were capped. No mechanical malfunction or anomaly was discovered that could have led to the sudden acceleration reported by the pilot.
The closest official weather observation station to the accident site was McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada. At 0956, a METAR was reporting, in part, wind 070° at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; few clouds at 25,000ft; temperature 79° F; dew point 25° F; and altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury.