Apex CROSS-5X accident near Columbus, NE

On September 2, 2024, an Apex CROSS-5X was involved in an accident near Columbus, NE. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

September 2, 2024

Place

Columbus, NE

Aircraft

Apex CROSS-5X · WSFT

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

41.159°N, 97.638°W

NTSB ID

20240903195042

Official records · CEN24LA332

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

NTSB summary

On September 2, 2024, about 1215 central standard time, an Apex Cross-5X weight-shift-control aircraft, N223CL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Columbus, Nebraska. The non-certificated pilot sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Two witnesses spoke with the pilot just before the accident flight and provided permission for the aircraft to depart from their airstrip. The pilot told these witnesses that he had just purchased the aircraft and had no previous experience flying any aircraft. One witness saw the aircraft take off from the private airfield and fly low to the ground; the aircraft did not climb. Another witness, who was flying a similar aircraft at the time, took off ahead of the accident aircraft and watched as the aircraft descended and did not climb back up. None of the witnesses observed the impact. The aircraft impacted the roof of a garage in a residential neighborhood, adjacent to where the aircraft took off. The aircraft came to rest inverted, partially penetrating the roof. The wing/sail of the aircraft was impact separated and came to rest on the ground adjacent to the garage. Fuel was observed leaking from the fuel tank. The aircraft was recovered from the roof and relocated to a facility for further examination. All fasteners and control cables remained attached and routed as designed. The wing, fuselage, and flight controls were impact-damaged. The propeller remained attached to the engine and all 3 propeller blades were impact damaged abou

Probable cause

The non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the aircraft after takeoff.

More accidents in NE

• Piper PA-32R-300, Oct 16, 1993
• Piper PA-31, Apr 14, 1986
• Raytheon Aircraft Company 58, Jan 11, 2013
• Cessna 210H, Jan 19, 1986
• Beech C35, Jun 17, 1984

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.