Rhoads Larry E SOPWITH BABY N41LR

Summary

On 19 May 2020 at about 21:45 local time, a Rhoads Larry E SOPWITH BABY registered N41LR was involved in an accident near Lee's Summit, Missouri, 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

19 May 2020 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Lee's Summit Muni (LXT)

Coordinates

38.9597, -94.3739

Aircraft

Rhoads Larry E SOPWITH BABY

Registration

N41LR

Category

Airplane

Year built

2019

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lee's Summit → Lee's Summit

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20CA184

Nobody was injured.

The airplane builder's improper installation of the lower right wing which resulted in an uncommanded left roll and the subsequent loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on the airplane's initial test flight in a tailwheel-equipped biplane. At the speed when the tailwheel lifted from the runway, the airplane began an uncommanded left roll. The pilot attempted to arrest the roll moment but was unsuccessful. He aborted the takeoff but lost control of the airplane as it settled down in a crab. The airplane exited the side of the runway and resulted in the failure of the left landing gear, and subsequent nose over of the airplane. The lower left wing sustained substantial damage. The airplane builder conducted a post-accident examination and reported that the right wing had a different "angle-of-attack" then the other wings, due to a construction error. This difference likely resulted in the uncommanded left roll during takeoff. This rolling tendency was not detected during the previous four high-speed taxi tests..

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.