Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot stated that, while preparing to land, he lost elevator control. He increased engine power and tried to gain altitude and avoid a stall; however, the airplane stalled and landed hard. The airplane bounced and landed hard again, damaging the landing gear. The airplane continued to slide, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot stated that the control rod for the elevator failed; however, an examination of the control rod and elevator revealed damage associated with the impact and subsequent recovery of the airplane. An examination of the airplane and its systems revealed no anomalies.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 5, 2014, about 1900 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Avid Flyer airplane, N111ED, was substantially damaged while maneuvering near the Lamoni Municipal Airport (KLWD), Lamoni, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The student pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The local flight departed KLWD at 1830. The student pilot stated that while preparing to land on a grass strip, he "pulled [the] lever for the flaperons [and] lost elevator control." He advanced the throttle and tried to "gain altitude" while trying to avoid a stall. The airplane stalled and landed hard. The airplane bounced, landed hard again, at which time the landing gear "broke." The airplane continued to slide and "come apart." The pilot stated that he and his passenger went to the hospital following the accident and an employee of his came with a rollback to recover the wreckage of the airplane. In the accident report form, completed by the pilot, he stated further that a "rod for the elevator broke." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident reported this accident was initially not reported to the FAA or to local law enforcement. The airplane had been cut into 6 or 7 pieces and removed from the accident site before local law enforcement or the FAA were notified of the accident by an anonymous individual. The fuselage, empennage, and wings were substantially damaged during the impact with the ground. The inspector stated further that an examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. The damage to the flight controls was related to both impact damage and the recovery efforts.