Evolution REVO N449WB

Summary

On 4 October 2020 at about 16:35 local time, a Evolution REVO registered N449WB, operated by Joe K Audette, was involved in an accident near Hawthorne, California, 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

4 October 2020 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Hawthorne, California, United States

Nearest airport

Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne (HHR)

Coordinates

33.9239, -118.3311

Aircraft

Evolution REVO

Registration

N449WB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2015

Engines

1

Operator

Joe K Audette

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21LA003

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing on a personal flight in a light sport aircraft. Shortly after departing from the runway, the aircraft veered to the right and then banked to the right to clear a fence, after which the aircraft descended and struck a tree and a culvert wall. The engine was running throughout the flight. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Recorded engine data indicated that the engine was producing power at the time of the accident. Although the pilot’s experience in the light sport aircraft could not be established, a witness reported that, after a previous takeoff “a couple of years" before the accident, the pilot had incorrectly steered the aircraft toward the airport tower before recognizing the error and correcting the aircraft’s flightpath. The same witness also reported that departing aircraft typically make a left bank—rather than a right bank—after takeoff. Thus, during the accident takeoff, the pilot likely manipulated the steering controls incorrectly, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent impact with the tree and culvert.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.