Loss of control Accident Airborne Windsports Edge XT-912-L N444EZ,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300559
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Saturday 5 November 2022
Time:08:11
Type:Airborne Windsports Edge XT-912-L
Owner/operator:Paradise Air Hang Gliding
Registration: N444EZ
MSN: XT-912-0544
Year of manufacture:2016
Total airframe hrs:1455 hours
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Dillingham Airfield, Oahu, HI -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Oahu-Dillingham Airfield, HI (HDH/PHDH)
Destination airport:Oahu-Dillingham Airfield, HI (HDH/PHDH)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
On November 5, 2022, about 0811 Hawaii-Aleutian standard time, an Airborne Windsports Edge XT-912-L weight shift control light sport aircraft, N444EZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii. The flight instructor and initial/introductory flight training student were fatally injured. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

According to the operator, Paradise Air Hang Gliding, the flight should have lasted about 30 minutes. When the aircraft did not return, another pilot from the operator went to look for them, and he eventually spotted the wreckage about 2 miles west of the airport. Multiple witnesses close to the accident site stated that the engine was running, and the aircraft descended in a nose-low attitude until impact.

The aircraft was equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS–B), which provides aircraft tracking to determine its position via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked. The information can be received by air traffic control ground stations as a replacement for secondary surveillance radar, as no interrogation signal is needed from the ground.

According to archived Federal Aviation Administration ADS-B flight track data, the aircraft departed Dillingham Airfield (HDH), about 0739. The aircraft flew east of the airport, maneuvering at varying altitudes and making a few 360° turns before turning back to the west. The aircraft flew along the coast towards Ka’ena Point then it made a left climbing turn toward HDH. The aircraft climbed to 2,775 ft mean sea level (msl), then made a right descending spiral turn. The last track data was observed at 0810, as the aircraft descended through 700 ft msl, at 20 knots. (See figure 1)

tracksAn investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Alaska Regional Office responded to the accident site and examined the aircraft wreckage. During the detailed on-scene examination, a GoPro camera was recovered and subsequently sent to the NTSB’s vehicle recorder laboratory for download and review, and results are pending.

The aircraft was recovered and transported to a facility for examination. The fuselage was intact and impact damaged. Flight control continuity was established from the control inputs to the control surfaces. The wing mast was impact damaged; the mast safety cable remained attached.

The engine remained attached to the airframe. The carburetors were separated from the engine and impact damaged. The fuel tank was breached and empty. Two of the three propeller blades were separated from the hub, and both were found at the accident site. The remaining blade was impact damaged.

The wreckage has been retained for further documentation when required.

Sources:

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/11/05/honolulu-ems-2-killed-hang-glider-crash-oahus-north-shore/

NTSB
FAA
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumbertxt=444EZ

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
06-Nov-2022 06:21 Geno Added
06-Nov-2022 06:33 Geno Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Nature, Source, Narrative]
07-Nov-2022 14:55 harro Updated [Registration, Operator, Source, Damage]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org