May 2, 2018
The pilot indicated that, during the takeoff climb, about 15 feet above the ground, the airplane violently rolled to the right. He applied full aileron and rudder opposite the direction of the roll, but the airplane continued to roll to the right, struck the ground with the right wing, and then impacted a tree.
Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that three of the four hinges connecting the right flaperon hanger rib were loose. The wood material of the flaperon was found dry rotted where the hinges connected. The airplane had been flown about 3 hours in the 11 months before the accident. The airplane kit manufacturer had issued Service Bulletin #9 that identified flaperon hanger rib failures on the model of the accident airplane. The service bulletin recommended the addition of an aluminum reinforcement on each flaperon hanger rib end. The accident airplane did not have the reinforcement installed.
