Airborne Windsport EDGE XT-912-L N34TH

Summary

On 21 April 2010 at about 19:36 local time, a Airborne Windsport EDGE XT-912-L registered N34TH, operated by Tedd R. Hecklin, was involved in an accident near Captain Cook, Hawaii, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 April 2010 at 19:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Captain Cook, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

19.4817, -155.9300

Aircraft

Airborne Windsport EDGE XT-912-L

Registration

N34TH

Engines

1

Operator

Tedd R. Hecklin

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kailua Kona → Kailua Kona

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10FA211

2 people died.

The pilot’s intentional in-flight maneuvers that exceeded the structural limits of the aircraft, which resulted in structural failure of the wings.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight was an introductory flight lesson in a weight-shift-controlled aircraft. Witnesses reported that they observed the aircraft maneuver over the ocean and approach a 450-foot cliff at a 45-degree angle. As the aircraft came close to the cliff, it banked steeply away and rolled inverted. Witnesses reported hearing a loud “pop” and the wings folded around the fuselage (pod). The aircraft descended in a spiraling corkscrew-like manner before impacting the water. The aircraft immediately sank and was never recovered. The pilot likely exceeded the manufacturer’s operating limitations for the aircraft, which specifies a maximum pitch limit of 45 degrees and a maximum bank angle of 60 degrees. Positive flight load factors are limited to 4G and negative loads are prohibited; flight loads between positive 1G and 0G should be avoided. The pilot’s operating handbook cautioned that negative G maneuvers can never be conducted safely and stated that these maneuvers put the aircraft outside of the pilot’s control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.