Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On August 20, 2000, approximately 1200 mountain daylight time, a Trammell Avid Flyer experimental home-built airplane, N7081M, was substantially damaged following a loss of aircraft control and subsequent impact with terrain near Perry Stokes Airport, Trinidad, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was seriously injured. The pilot built, owned, and operated the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 local flight, which was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed.

The pilot said that he needed approximately half an hour of flight time to complete in order to meet his FAA required 40 hour sign off requirement. On departure climb out, everything appeared normal. Suddenly, at 1,000 feet above the ground, he lost all flight control. He said that the airplane continued to turn to the left, and he had no elevator control. The pilot said that if he maintained 65 mph that the wings would stay "somewhat level." The airplane gradually spiraled down until it hit the ground. The impact with terrain displaced the engine aft into the cockpit area.

Postaccident examination of the airplane by the kit manufacturer revealed that the left lift strut tube threaded attachment rod was broken. This failure permitted the wing's warp to dissipate. Subsequently, this warp adjustment failure bound the flight controls for both ailerons and elevators. The kit manufacturer said that there are approximately 1,700 airplanes flying that utilize this wing attachment assembly, and the manufacturer has no record of any similar failures.

The pilot said that he built the airplane in 1989, and that it was substantially damaged in 1991. He said that he purchased new wings and most of the hardware was replaced new. He said that he replaced the left strut attachment bracket on the rebuilt airplane. the failure of wing lift strut attachment rod for an unknown reason, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control during initial takeoff climb.