Thursday, May 17, 2012

Kolb Firestar II (Mfr. Marley, Thomas J.), N9173T: Accident occurred May 17, 2012 in Cedar Fort, Utah

National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Final Report: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Docket And Docket Items -   National Transportation Safety Board:   http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

National Transportation Safety Board  -  Aviation Accident Data Summary:   http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: WPR12LA214
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, May 17, 2012 in Cedar Fort, UT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/07/2015
Aircraft: MARLEY KOLB FIRESTAR II, registration: N9173T
Injuries: 1 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

A witness reported observing the airplane start to wobble while approaching the airport to land. She stated that it was a windy day and that a sudden wind gust caused the airplane to tip on its side while in the air; thunderstorms with microbursts were reported in the area at the time of the accident. She added that it appeared that the pilot attempted to level off the airplane but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently impacted open terrain near the runway and rolled several times before coming to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the airplane confirmed primary flight control continuity.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while on approach for landing in gusting wind conditions.

On May 17, 2012, about 1150 mountain daylight time, an experimental Marley Kolb Firestarter II airplane, N9173T, impacted the ground in an open field about 100 yards north of the Cedar Valley Airport (UT10), Cedar Fort, Utah. The sport pilot/owner, the sole occupant, operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot received serious injuries; the airplane came to rest inverted and was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from an unknown location.

A witness reported that she observed the airplane start to wobble during its landing sequence. She stated it was a windy day and that a sudden gust of wind caused the airplane to tip on its side while in the air. It appeared that the pilot attempted to level off the airplane but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently impacted the open terrain near the runway and rolled several times before coming to rest inverted.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site was able to establish flight control continuity. He reported local thunderstorms with microburst in the area.

The pilot did not provide a completed NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form 6120.1 nor a written statement to the investigator.

NTSB Identification: WPR12LA214 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, May 17, 2012 in Cedar Fort, UT
Aircraft: MARLEY KOLB FIRESTAR II, registration: N9173T
Injuries: 1 Serious.

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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On May 17, 2012, about 1150 mountain daylight time, an experimental Marley Kolb Firestar II airplane, N9173T, impacted the ground in an open field about 100 yards north of the Cedar Valley Airport (UT10), Cedar Fort, Utah. The pilot/owner, the sole occupant, operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot received serious injuries; the airplane came to rest inverted and was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from an unknown airport.

Witnesses located at the airport relayed to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, that the airplane was landing in a crosswind condition. Prior to touchdown, the airplane appeared to fall from the sky and then impacted the ground. The FAA inspector was able to establish flight control continuity. He also reported local thunderstorms with microbursts in the area.





A man suffered neck and back injuries when his ultralight aircraft crashed late Thursday morning in Utah County. Utah County Sheriff’s Lt. Eric McDowell said the single-prop aircraft had been airborne about 20-30 minutes when the pilot, described as a man in his 50s, attempted to land at Cedar Valley Airport near Eagle Mountain, about 30 miles northwest of Provo.

"We’re still investigating what caused him to crash, but either a crosswind or mechanical problems ended up with him flipping over [on landing]. He was complaining of neck and back pain and he was flown by helicopter to University Hospital in Salt Lake City,"McDowell said, but was in stable condition. Neither the identity of the pilot nor his condition was immediately released. 


EAGLE MOUNTAIN -- A small airplane flipped upside down while landing in Eagle Mountain Thursday, injuring the pilot. 

 The single propeller airplane was coming in for a landing at about 11:50 a.m. at Eagle Mountain's Cedar Valley airport when it crashed, according to Utah County Sheriff's Lt. Eric McDowell. The plane had been up in the air for roughly 20 or 30 minutes, McDowell said, and was either on the ground or close to it when it flipped.

"It's unclear if it was mechanical failure or wind," McDowell said. "These things are so small that it wouldn't take much."

Authorities are still investigation the cause of the crash.

McDowell said the man flying the plane suffered facial abrasions and complained of neck and back pain, but was alert immediately after the crash. He was taken to the University of Utah for medical treatment and McDowell added that the injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. The man's name has not been released.

The crash did not cause delays for other aircraft at the airport.

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