Northwing Design APACHE SPORT accident near Omro, Wisconsin, July 3, 2014
On July 3, 2014, a Northwing Design APACHE SPORT (weight-shift aircraft), registered N2725T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Omro, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed to compensate for a newly installed wing, which resulted in the aircraft stalling and the subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2014
- Place
- Omro, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Northwing Design APACHE SPORT
- Registration
- N2725T · no longer on the register · serial MUSTANG II 17.M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had installed a smaller, higher performance wing on the weight-shift control trike just before the accident flight. A witness reported seeing the trike in a descending spiral about 1 hour after it had taken off. The trike impacted terrain in a field along the final approach course for the airstrip at the departure airport. The installation of the smaller wing increased the stall speed of the trike. It is likely that the student did not account for this increase as he slowed the trike in preparation to land, which resulted in an inadvertent stall from which he did not recover. There were no records located during the investigation to determine the pilot's experience in this or any other aircraft. A postaccident examination of the airframe, wing, and engine did not reveal any preimpact failure or malfunction. Toxicology testing revealed that the pilot had recently used tramadol and amphetamine, but there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the drugs contributed to the cause of the accident.
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 unknown defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Physical › Health/Fitness › Use of medication/drugs › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Omro WI at 11:00 pm
- Destination: Omro WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KOSH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.