NTSB Identification: ERA12FA018
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 22, 2011 in Washington, GA
Aircraft: BERGER MICHAEL A WAIEX, registration: N75654
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On October 18, 2011, about 1315 eastern daylight time, a Berger Waiex, N75654, was substantially damaged following a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain near Washington, Georgia. The certificated sport pilot was killed. The experimental, amateur-built airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated at Washington-Wilkes County Airport (IIY), Washington, Georgia at an undetermined time.

Local deer hunters were outside, about one-quarter mile northwest of the accident site, at the time of the accident. They heard a loud noise and looked up to see what they thought was the airplane's tail, falling out of the sky. They also heard the engine quit prior to the crash. They immediately proceeded toward the accident site and called 911 for assistance.

Another witness, who was outside his residence at the time of the accident, reported that he heard the airplane's engine quit. He could see the airplane through the trees on his property, and the airplane was tumbling downwards, "…end over end."

The aircraft wreckage, except for its "Y-tail" assembly, was found in a wooded ravine, about 2.3 nautical miles north of IIY. The Y-tail was found separated, near a dirt road, about 550 feet southwest of the main wreckage.

The airplane was built in 2007 and was purchased by the pilot in 2011. According to representatives from Sonex Aircraft, LLC, the kit manufacturer, a Waiex (pronounced "Y-X") is a Sonex in a Y-tail configuration. According to the maintenance logbooks, the airplane had accumulated about 300 hours total time since its manufacture.

The aircraft wreckage was recovered to a salvage facility where a more detailed examination of the airframe and engine will be performed. The airplane was equipped with a Garmin 510 Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS was forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for flight data extraction and examination.

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