Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR N902HB

Summary

On 5 July 2018 at about 19:30 local time, a Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR registered N902HB, operated by Total Flight Aircraft Leasing Llc, was involved in an accident near Louisburg, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 July 2018 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Louisburg, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Triangle North Executive (LHZ)

Coordinates

36.0325, -78.3175

Aircraft

Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR

Registration

N902HB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Total Flight Aircraft Leasing Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisburg → Louisburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA394

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's distraction due to a previous runway excursion and navigational issues during the accident flight and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the downwind leg, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot reported that, after completing a touch-and-go landing without incident, during the takeoff, the airplane drifted left off the runway toward a wooded area. He attempted to slow and stop the airplane, but it struck a culvert, which "launched" the airplane back into the air. He then increased the engine power to full, pitched the nose up, flew the airplane back into the traffic pattern, and landed without further incident.  After taking time to gather himself, the student took off again, this time to conduct a basic navigation exercise in the local area, but he became disoriented and used the airplane's GPS to return to the departure airport. The student stated that he was distracted during the downwind leg due to the previous runway excursion and the navigation issues he experienced during the accident flight and allowed the airspeed to decrease, which resulted in the airplane stalling. While making the turn to base, the student overcorrected with left rudder, which resulted in the airplane entering a spin and subsequently colliding with trees.    The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.