Airborne REDBACK accident near Arlington, Washington, May 4, 2016
On May 4, 2016 at about 2:00 am local time, a 2002 Airborne REDBACK (weight-shift aircraft), registered N528PG, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Arlington, Washington (Arlington Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately secure the aircraft while manually starting the engine from outside the cockpit, which resulted in the unmanned aircraft becoming airborne and colliding with a hangar roof.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2016 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · Arlington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airborne REDBACK NO SERIES, built 2002 · all REDBACKs on the register
- Registration
- N528PG · registry record · serial 503-719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the weight shift controlled trike, he had spent several hours trying to start the trike on the previous day without success. He recalled that on the morning of the accident, with the ignition off, he sprayed ether into each of the carburetors and pulled several times on the engine's starter cord. He reported that he then turned on the ignition, pulled the starter cord once, the engine started and the trike accelerated forward. He recalled that the trike rolled over the chalks that were in front of the wheels, drug him for about 100 feet before he released the cord, and the trike became airborne. The trike was airborne for several seconds before impacting the rooftop of a hangar and sustaining substantial damage to the wing keel and the control bar. The pilot reported that there were not any pre-accident mechanical failures or anomalies with the trike that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. The pilot reported that in hind sight, he should have placed the hand throttle to idle before pulling the cord.
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 on ground during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine starting › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action sequence › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 325 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 3, 2015
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,166 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 DCDI (piston); 3,166 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 2:00 am
- Destination: AWO Arlington WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from KAWO
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 GAA16CA216.