Northwing APACHE SPORT accident near Franklinton, Louisiana, May 13, 2009
On May 13, 2009 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Northwing APACHE SPORT (weight-shift aircraft), registered N61740, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Franklinton, Louisiana (Franklinton Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of flight experience in the weight-shift trike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2009 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Franklinton, Louisiana · Franklinton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Northwing APACHE SPORT
- Registration
- N61740 · no longer on the register · serial 28142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the second takeoff of the day, the weight-shift trike reached an estimated speed of 40 knots before the pilot pushed the flight control bar forward. The trike rotated, departed the runway, and climbed steeply to an altitude of around 100 feet. The passenger, a pilot with approximately 150 hours in a similar model trike, noted that the pilot did not return the control bar to the neutral position and the trike stalled. The passenger attempted to take control, but moments later the trike impacted the ground and came to rest in an inverted position on an adjacent golf course. The accident pilot was estimated to have purchased the trike three to four months previously and to have logged approximately 5 hours in type. Due to the extent of his injuries, the pilot was not able to be interviewed nor was he able to submit a NTSB accident form 6120.1. No record of an airman certificate was located for the pilot during the investigation. The passenger reported that he did not observe any mechanical anomalies with the trike before or during the attempted flight.
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 takeoff defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
- 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
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2R7 Franklinton LA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: 2R7 Franklinton LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 12:39 pm from HDC, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.