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20210111003219A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Aircraft · Vineland, NJ · January 11, 2021

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Date
January 11, 2021 · 12:54 local
Place
Vineland, NJ
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
NONE
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot

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.

On January 11, 2021, inspectors responded to a report of a fatal accident which occurred on approach to Vineland-downstown airport (28N) at 1254 eastern standard time.

According to witness statements, the aircraft was on final approach for runway 20. At approximately 500 feet in altitude, with wings level and engine running, the aircraft pitched down at a steep angle and disappeared into the trees.

At the scene, inspectors identified all major components of the aircraft within a 60 foot diameter debris field. Angle of impact appeared near vertical. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured.

Investigation revealed two seats with seatbelts installed in the aircraft, and observed two 5-gallon fuel tanks dislodged from the aircraft. One tank was labeled ?main tank?; the other was labeled ?aux tank?.

The evidence of two five gallon fuel tanks, two seats, and verification by the kit manufacturer, revealed that this aircraft is a firestar kxp; an experimental-built, light sport aircraft kit, manufactured by the kolb aircraft company, and not an ultralight as previously reported. This aircraft was not FAA registered and therefore block 13A of this report is marked "none" for registration.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 11, 2021, INSPECTORS RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF A FATAL ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED ON APPROACH TO VINELAND-DOWNSTOWN AIRPORT (28N) AT 1254 EASTERN STANDARD TIME.

ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 20. AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET IN ALTITUDE, WITH WINGS LEVEL AND ENGINE RUNNING, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN AT A STEEP ANGLE AND DISAPPEARED INTO THE TREES.

AT THE SCENE, INSPECTORS IDENTIFIED ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WITHIN A 60 FOOT DIAMETER DEBRIS FIELD. ANGLE OF IMPACT APPEARED NEAR VERTICAL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

INVESTIGATION REVEALED TWO SEATS WITH SEATBELTS INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT, AND OBSERVED TWO 5-GALLON FUEL TANKS DISLODGED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ONE TANK WAS LABELED ?MAIN TANK?; THE OTHER WAS LABELED ?AUX TANK?.

THE EVIDENCE OF TWO FIVE GALLON FUEL TANKS, TWO SEATS, AND VERIFICATION BY THE KIT MANUFACTURER, REVEALED THAT THIS AIRCRAFT IS A FIRESTAR KXP; AN EXPERIMENTAL-BUILT, LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT KIT, MANUFACTURED BY THE KOLB AIRCRAFT COMPANY, AND NOT AN ULTRALIGHT AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FAA REGISTERED AND THEREFORE BLOCK 13A OF THIS REPORT IS MARKED "NONE" FOR REGISTRATION.