N242WTMooney Airplane M20TN · 2008

On March 5, 2016, about 1346 mountain standard time, an experimental, North Wing Apache, N242WT, weight-shift-control trike, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain following takeoff from a field, southeast of Queen Creek, Arizona. The non-certified pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The aircraft, which was recently purchased, was not yet registered. The pilot was operating the aircraft under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a local personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that after the owner assembled the aircraft, he performed a pre-flight inspection and then accomplished a short test flight to, an altitude of about 10 ft above ground level (agl). Following the successful test flight, with no reported abnormalities, the pilot departed on a subsequent flight. During climb-out, about 200 ft agl, he heard a "popping" sound and the aircraft yawed to the right. The aircraft remained in level flight, but was crabbing with the nose pointed to the right. The aircraft "popped again" and turned hard right. The wing lost lift and the aircraft started to dive to the right. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to recover and gain lift, so he could deploy the ballistic parachute. However, the aircraft did not recover and collided with the ground in a nose down attitude.

One witness, stated he observed the aircraft about 200 ft agl, flying straight and level. The engine sounded normal. The aircraft then banked 20° right, and then continued to bank until it reached about 85°. During the turn, a witness heard something snap twice. Subsequently, the aircraft impacted the ground in a nose down attitude.

The postaccident examination of the aircraft did not reveal any anomalies that would preclude normal operation. Although a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, did notice a broken rod on the right wing's internal strut sprog assembly, which attached to the leading edge.

According to a design expert for the make and model aircraft involved in the accident, the sprog provides a positive twist to the leading edge during zero lift flight; and therefore, would not have been under load during the flight. Additionally, examination of the fracture surfaces of the sprog's assembly and support tubes by the National Transportation Safety Board material laboratory determined that the separation was a result of overload failure, as no corrosion or pre-existing cracks were observed. The investigation was unable to determine the source of the sounds heard during the accident sequence.

The owner had purchased the 2-seat aircraft about four days before the accident and had not registered it nor documented a current annual inspection.

The pilot was not a certified pilot, but reported 160 hours in single engine aircraft and several hours in single seat weight shift ultralight aircraft. No hours had been accumulated in the make and model aircraft involved in the accident.