Northwing APACHE QUEST N425DW
16 June 2007 · Springfield, Vermont, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 16 June 2007 at about 15:00 local time, a Northwing APACHE QUEST registered N425DW, operated by Jeff Nicolay, was involved in an accident near Springfield, Vermont, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Springfield, Vermont, United States
- Nearest airport
- Hartness State Airport (VSF)
- Coordinates
- 43.3425, -72.5094
- Aircraft
- Northwing APACHE QUEST
- Registration
- N425DW
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Jeff Nicolay
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Flight Test
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Springfield → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC07LA143
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, due to the installation of an alternate wing design.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The non-certificated pilot was a co-owner of the aircraft kit manufacturing company, involving the accident airplane. On the day of the accident, the pilot planned to test an alternate wing design, which was to be sold in an aircraft kit to a new customer. The pilot did not have a fuselage available to test the wing, so he asked the owner of the accident airplane to fly to the airport, and assist him with testing the alternate wing. The owner of the airplane agreed, flew to the airport, and assisted the accident pilot in securing the alternate wing to the fuselage of his airplane. The pilot then departed from the airport, and shortly after takeoff, witnesses observed the airplane nose over and impact a lake. The pilot was unable to release his seatbelt, as he was not familiar with this type of fuselage, and was pulled from the airplane by a witness, prior to it sinking in the lake. Examination of the airplane revealed the wing was "defective," and not compatible with the fuselage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Northwing APACHE accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 2006 | Northwing APACHE SPORT | Brewster, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 May 2009 | Northwing APACHE SPORT | Franklinton, Louisiana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 May 2009 | Northwing APACHE SPORT | Fredericksburg, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 3 Jul 2014 | Northwing APACHE SPORT | Omro, Wisconsin, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Apr 2014 | Northwing APACHE SPORT | Brigham City, Utah, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Jun 2015 | Northwing APACHE SPORT | Taos, New Mexico, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov 2007 | Cessna 140 | Poultney, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jun 2007 | Piper PA-30 | Highgate, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 2007 | Let SUPER BLANIK L-23 | Warren, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 2007 | Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-2C | Greensboro, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 2007 | Cessna 182R | Montpelier, Vermont, United States | Fredrick A. Heim | No injuries | - |
| 2 Nov 2007 | Smith Miniplane DSA-1 | Alburgh, Vermont, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |