Evolution Aircraft Inc REVOLT N798EE accident near Rochelle, Illinois

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance during a low-level turn, that resulted in an impact with the ground.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he was attempting to maneuver the weight-shift aircraft to avoid an incoming aircraft that was going to land at the airport. The pilot turned the aircraft “way too low” for a right crosswind, and during the turn, the wing contacted the ground, and the aircraft “tumbled.” The aircraft came to rest upright in a field populated with crops and the pilot was assisted by witnesses with evacuating from the aircraft. The pilot classified the accident as “pilot error.”

The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wing and the fuselage. The pilot, who sustained serious injuries and was wearing a flight helmet, reported that he utilized only a lap belt, when a three-point restraint system was available in the cockpit. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN24LA279 for the full record.