20170730017899A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Kolb Firestar II · Westfield, PA · July 30, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: July 30, 2017 · 09:47 local
Place: Westfield, PA
Airport: Sharretts Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N423G
Reported as: Kolb Firestar II
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,500 total1 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The crash of an ultralight aircraft was reported to the roc on 07/30/2017. An occurrence investigation began. During the investigation it was determined the aircraft held an experimental special airworthiness certificate and did not qualify as an ultralight. On 09/07/2017 FAA form 8020-9 was submitted to the roc and an accident investigation began.

Airman who has not flown in twenty years took off in a recently purchased experimental aircraft. Upon rotation the aircraft began a pull to the left. Airman unknowingly held down the left trim button located on the control stick applying full left rudder trim. Airman applied right rudder and aileron to maintain control. On a third attempt to land the aircraft drifted left and struck trees.

As the FAA filed it

THE CRASH OF AN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO THE ROC ON 07/30/2017. AN OCCURRENCE INVESTIGATION BEGAN. DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT HELD AN EXPERIMENTAL SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND DID NOT QUALIFY AS AN ULTRALIGHT. ON 09/07/2017 FAA FORM 8020-9 WAS SUBMITTED TO THE ROC AND AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BEGAN.

AIRMAN WHO HAS NOT FLOWN IN TWENTY YEARS TOOK OFF IN A RECENTLY PURCHASED EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT. UPON ROTATION THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A PULL TO THE LEFT. AIRMAN UNKNOWINGLY HELD DOWN THE LEFT TRIM BUTTON LOCATED ON THE CONTROL STICK APPLYING FULL LEFT RUDDER TRIM. AIRMAN APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER AND AILERON TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. ON A THIRD ATTEMPT TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT AND STRUCK TREES.