Evektor Aerotechnik EV97 N916SR

Summary

On 29 July 2024 at about 18:30 local time, a Evektor Aerotechnik EV97 registered N916SR, operated by Erdman Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Midland, Texas, United States. 2 people were 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

29 July 2024 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Midland, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Midland International Air and (MAF)

Coordinates

31.9425, -102.2019

Aircraft

Evektor Aerotechnik EV97

Registration

N916SR

Category

Airplane

Year built

2024

Engines

1

Operator

Erdman Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Austin → Midland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA289

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during taxi due to strong wind gusts.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, she was on a multi-day cross-country flight in the experimental light sport airplane. Two days before the accident, she stopped for fuel and had the brakes serviced because she said the brakes were sticking while taxiing; she reported that the brakes worked fine after the maintenance was performed. The pilot continued the cross-country flight and stopped at another airport to refuel. The pilot reported that while taxiing from the fuel area to the runway, the right brake became inoperative, and the airplane veered off the taxiway and into the grass. The right landing gear strut broke, and the right wing sustained substantial damage. The brake system and the steering linkage for the nose landing gear were examined. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation of the brakes or steering. The investigators were unable to replicate the brake anomaly. At the time of the accident the wind was 140° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. It is likely that during the taxi the pilot did not properly account for the gusting wind and lost directional control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.