N4007BIson Aircraft EROS · 2003

On August 12, 2012, about 1730 eastern daylight time, an Ison Aircraft Eros, N4007B, impacted terrain during initial climb from a private field near Schoolcraft, Michigan, following a loss of control. The pilot did not hold a pilot certificate or an airman medical certificate. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane registration was not updated to show that it had been purchased by the pilot who was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the flight that was originating at the time of the accident.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot had been flying ultralight aircraft prior to his purchase of the accident airplane. The pilot stated he had accumulated a total flight time of about 30 hours in ultralight aircraft. The pilot did not hold an airplane medical or pilot certificate at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he departed from his backyard and was performing short hops when the wind banked the airplane to the left as it climbed over trees. The wind was from the left. The pilot recovered the airplane about 25 feet above ground level and landed on a corn field. The pilot said that there were no mechanical anomalies with the flight controls.

The FAA inspector stated that the airplane registration had not been transferred when the airplane was purchased by the pilot. The FAA asked the pilot to provide maintenance records for the airplane. Following the request, the FAA did not receive any of the records and was unable to establish if the airplane met aircraft inspection/maintenance requirements. The pilot then sold the airplane.

A National Transportation Safety Accident/Incident Report, 6120.1, was not received from the pilot.