Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR accident near Louisburg, North Carolina, July 5, 2018
On July 5, 2018 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 2006 Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR, registered N902HB, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Louisburg, North Carolina (Triangle North Executive airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's distraction due to a previous runway excursion and navigational issues during the accident flight and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the downwind leg, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2018 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Louisburg, North Carolina · Triangle North Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR No Series, built 2006
- Registration
- N902HB · no longer on the register · serial 2006 0604
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, after completing a touch-and-go landing without incident, during the takeoff, the airplane drifted left off the runway toward a wooded area. He attempted to slow and stop the airplane, but it struck a culvert, which "launched" the airplane back into the air. He then increased the engine power to full, pitched the nose up, flew the airplane back into the traffic pattern, and landed without further incident. After taking time to gather himself, the student took off again, this time to conduct a basic navigation exercise in the local area, but he became disoriented and used the airplane's GPS to return to the departure airport. The student stated that he was distracted during the downwind leg due to the previous runway excursion and the navigation issues he experienced during the accident flight and allowed the airspeed to decrease, which resulted in the airplane stalling. While making the turn to base, the student overcorrected with left rudder, which resulted in the airplane entering a spin and subsequently colliding with trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier Rotax (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Total Flight Aircraft Leasing Llc
The flight
- Departed from: LHZ Louisburg NC
- Destination: LHZ Louisburg NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 5,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from KLHZ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 11, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.