Aerotrike Safari accident near Lake City, Michigan, May 23, 2009
On May 23, 2009 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Aerotrike Safari (weight-shift aircraft), registered N8035W, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Lake City, Michigan (Home Acres Sky Ranch Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2009 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Lake City, Michigan · Home Acres Sky Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotrike Safari · all Safaris on the register
- Registration
- N8035W · no longer on the register · serial M5439499
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental weight-shift-control aircraft was performing a takeoff from runway 18 when the accident occurred. The pilot stated that during initial climb, about 10-12 feet above the ground, the aircraft began to descend and drift off of the runway centerline. The pilot was not able to correct for the descent and lateral drift before the aircraft landed hard on its rear landing gear. The right wing tip impacted the terrain as the aircraft bounced twice and tipped onto its side. The wing and its king post were substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. According to the pilot, the local surface winds were 3-5 knots from the west-southwest. A nearby weather station reported that the surface winds were 7 knots from the northwest.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 157 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 87 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 16, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 183.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 990 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y91 Lake City MI at 10:05 pm
- Destination: Y91 Lake City MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,550 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KCAD, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09CA334.