Evolution Trikes REVO accident near South Haven, Michigan, August 11, 2014
On August 11, 2014 at about 4:16 pm local time, a 2014 Evolution Trikes REVO (weight-shift aircraft), registered N214EV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near South Haven, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his loss of aircraft control and the resultant overstress and in-flight breakup of the weight-shift-control aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2014 · about 4:16 pm local time
- Place
- South Haven, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Evolution Trikes REVO NO SERIES, built 2014 · all REVOs on the register
- Registration
- N214EV · no longer on the register · serial 000604
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noninstrument-rated sport pilot was returning to his home airport on a personal cross-country flight in a recently manufactured weight-shift-control aircraft. A witness located near the accident site reported hearing an "engine revving up," followed by a "loud bang." She subsequently noticed the aircraft's wing descending out of the clouds "like a maple leaf." The aircraft's wing impacted a cornfield, and the fuselage was found about 600 yards east of the wing. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the hang block and three attachment bolts, both ends of the control bar, the bolt holding the safety cable to the mast, and the left wing leading edge tube were fractured. All of the fracture surfaces were consistent with overstress. The fracture of the left wing leading edge tube toward the aft direction was consistent with a negative g event. The wreckage signatures of a negative g event and overstress were consistent with a loss of aircraft control and the subsequent in-flight breakup of the aircraft. The pilot had a demonstrated history of noncompliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. He was counseled by FAA personnel for flying in less than visual flight rules conditions about 1 month before the accident. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), including ceilings at 500 ft above ground level, existed along the route of flight at the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot improperly decided to continue visual flight into IMC and that he subsequently lost control of the aircraft, which resulted in the overstress and in-flight breakup of the aircraft.
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 enroute 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 structures › Wing structure › Main frame (on wing) › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Below VFR minima › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: sport pilot
- Flight time: 377 hours in all; 133 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 1,160 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 25 hours total
- Operator: Evolution Aircraft Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KIGQ Lansing IL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 9D9 Hastings MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KLWA, 3 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN14LA419.