Evolution Trikes REVO N214EV

Summary

On 11 August 2014 at about 16:16 local time, a Evolution Trikes REVO registered N214EV, operated by Evolution Aircraft Inc, was involved in an accident near South Haven, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 August 2014 at 16:16

Classification

Accident

Location

South Haven, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.4925, -86.1964

Aircraft

Evolution Trikes REVO

Registration

N214EV

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

Evolution Aircraft Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lansing → Hastings

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA419

1 person died.

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his loss of aircraft control and the resultant overstress and in-flight breakup of the weight-shift-control aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated sport pilot was returning to his home airport on a personal cross-country flight in a recently manufactured weight-shift-control aircraft. A witness located near the accident site reported hearing an "engine revving up," followed by a "loud bang." She subsequently noticed the aircraft's wing descending out of the clouds "like a maple leaf." The aircraft's wing impacted a cornfield, and the fuselage was found about 600 yards east of the wing. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the hang block and three attachment bolts, both ends of the control bar, the bolt holding the safety cable to the mast, and the left wing leading edge tube were fractured. All of the fracture surfaces were consistent with overstress. The fracture of the left wing leading edge tube toward the aft direction was consistent with a negative g event. The wreckage signatures of a negative g event and overstress were consistent with a loss of aircraft control and the subsequent in-flight breakup of the aircraft. The pilot had a demonstrated history of noncompliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. He was counseled by FAA personnel for flying in less than visual flight rules conditions about 1 month before the accident. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), including ceilings at 500 ft above ground level, existed along the route of flight at the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot improperly decided to continue visual flight into IMC and that he subsequently lost control of the aircraft, which resulted in the overstress and in-flight breakup of the aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.