Pilot decision-making, aircraft maintenance and mechanical issues were the focus of a safety presentation hosted by Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1475 at Wisener Field on Saturday, Aug. 22. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts gathered to hear lessons drawn from fatal accidents involving experimental air-craft.
Guest speakers Diane and Lucas Wagenaar drew from their experience as pilots and in aviation safety and aircraft maintenance to discuss lessons learned from fatal accidents involving experimental aircraft.
Much of the program was based on a safety presentation the couple attended during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Developed by the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council, the presentation examined fatal experi-mental aircraft accidents for recurring causes and ways pilots and builders can reduce risk.
The study reviewed 713 National Transportation Safety Board final reports involving fatal experimental aircraft accidents from 2010 through 2025. Among the patterns identified were stalls and spins, uncon-trolled flight into terrain, loss of power, maintenance problems and pilot distraction.
Lucas Wagenaar told attendees that maintenance can present its own challenges. Too little maintenance can allow problems to develop, while improper work can create new ones. Accident investigations some-times find improperly installed components, loose connections or parts that were not properly torqued fol-lowing maintenance.
“Take care of your engine,” Lucas Wagenaar said while discussing the importance of proper maintenance, inspections, correct parts and following manufacturers’ instructions.
The presentation stressed that while experimental aircraft give builders considerable freedom, proper con-struction, inspection and maintenance are important. Pilots were encouraged to use proper aviation mate-rials, follow manufacturers’ procedures and avoid cutting corners on safety-critical components.
Pilot proficiency was another focus. The Wagenaars encouraged pilots to continue training after receiving their licenses, practice stalls and slow flight, remain proficient in emergency procedures and seek transi-tion training when moving into an unfamiliar aircraft.
“A well-trained pilot is the best safety feature in any airplane,” Diane Wagenaar said.
She encouraged pilots to routinely consider what they would do if an engine failed or another emergency occurred rather than waiting until an actual emergency to make those decisions.
“Practice, practice,” she said. “You do not rise to the occasion. You go to your last practice. And a good pilot never stops learning.”
The program also covered angle-of-attack awareness, preflight inspections, transition training, engine monitoring and technology that can help pilots maintain control during an emergency. Case studies showed how a mechanical problem that might otherwise be survivable can become fatal when a pilot los-es control while responding to it.
Diane Wagenaar, a pilot and Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team representative, said her interest in safety began long before she became involved in aviation. She spent her career with Burlington North-ern Railroad, where she led safety briefings and evaluated how work could be improved. After meeting Lucas in 2010, she became involved in aviation and later joined the FAASTeam.
“My goal for being part of this is to be the liaison between the general aviation pilots on the experimental side and the certified side to the FAA,” she said.
Lucas Wagenaar has been a pilot for many years and spent his professional career in information technol-ogy before becoming an airframe and powerplant mechanic. He later earned his inspection authorization and has experience restoring and building aircraft, including an Aeronca Chief and Long-EZ.
EAA member Dwayne Kruse, who plans to build an experimental aircraft, said the program offered use-ful information for pilots and builders.
“I thought it was great and very informative,” Kruse said.
EAA Chapter 1475 is based in the Mineola area and brings together people interested in recreational avia-tion, aircraft building and aviation education. EAA chapters sponsor educational and community activi-ties, including aircraft-building programs and Young Eagles flights that introduce young people to avia-tion.
The Wagenaars’ message to pilots was to maintain their aircraft, continue training and prepare for emer-gencies before they happen.