Accident Details
On May 29, 2022, about 0800 central daylight time, an Airborne Windsports Edge weight shift control light sport aircraft (trike), registration N490F, was substantially damaged when it impacted a mesquite tree near the approach end of runway 20 at the Granite Shoals/Bob Sylvester Airpark (2G5), Granite Shoals, Texas. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The trike was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
A residential security camera near the airpark captured the trike taxiing toward the approach end of runway 20 at 0709. The trike's wing separated from the carriage and remained lodged in the tree, while the engine and carriage remained intact and came to rest at the end of a debris field approximately 115 ft long on a southerly heading.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses in the vicinity of the airpark observed the trike flying in the area for about 20-30 minutes before the accident. One witness on the south end of the airport saw the trike making several passes over the airpark but did not witness the accident; he recalled the wind condition as "super windy." Another witness stated that the wind condition was "swift" with gusts at the time of the accident.
Weather Conditions
Weather observations from Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport (DZB), about 4 miles south of the accident site, at 0735 showed southerly winds at 4 knots increasing to 13 knots with gusts to 19 knots by 0915. At 0753, Burnet Municipal Airport (BMQ), about 13 miles northeast, reported winds from 190° at 11 knots gusting to 21 knots. The National Weather Service Area Forecast Discussion noted that winds were expected to become gusty in the late morning, and an AIRMET for low-level turbulence was active. The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh sounding also indicated turbulence over the area.
Examination
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Airport Information
Granite Shoals/Bob Sylvester Airpark is situated at an elevation of 860 ft above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 2/20, measuring 2,000 ft long by 50 ft wide, with a surface of turf and gravel. The airport is not equipped with an air traffic control tower.
Reference Material
According to the Federal Aviation Administration Weight-Shift Control Aircraft Flying Handbook, "Power-on approaches at an airspeed above the normal approach speed should be used for landing in turbulent air. This provides for more energy and positive control of the aircraft when strong horizontal wind gusts, wind shear, or up and down drafts, are experienced." The handbook further notes that a coordinated combination of speed and power adjustments is required, and that landing in turbulent air requires practice and experience in energy management.