GILBERTSVILLE, PA, USA
UNREG
Robbins KOLB FIRESTAR
The noncertificated operator/owner of the unregistered ultralight and a passenger departed on a local flight. They had planned to fly over a shopping center, and the passenger stated that they liked to 'fly low and wave at people on the ground. When they arrived at the shopping center, they flew over it 'just above building height.' Witnesses observed two ultralights making low passes over the shopping center. The accident ultralight was observed to turn towards a tethered blimp. The ultralight then banked about 90 degrees away from the blimp, descended, and struck the ground. The ultralight remained intact and the engine continued to operate until impact. There were no maintenance records for the vehicle that was equipped with a single set of flight controls. The FAA Inspector classified the vehicle as a homebuilt airplane due to the dual seats, 10 gallon fuel capacity, and his estimate that the vehicle weight was 300 pounds. The operator had based the ultralight at a licensed airport for about 3 years. FAA records indicated that 24 surveillance's had been conducted at the airport during the previous 24 months, and that no ultralights had been observed or inspected for compliance with Part 103.
On June 9, 1997, about 1930 eastern daylight time, an unregistered homebuilt ultralight, a Robbins KOLB FireStar, was substantially damaged during an uncontrolled descent and impact with the ground, while maneuvering over the Gilbertsville Shopping Center, Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. The non-certificated operator/owner of the ultralight was fatally injured, and the passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at the New Hanover Airport (N62), New Hanover, Pennsylvania, about 1920. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 103. During an interview with the passenger, she stated that prior to takeoff from N62, she telephoned her mother to inform her that they would be flying over the Gilbertsville Shopping Center, where the mother worked. The passenger stated that she and the operator liked to "fly low and wave at people on the ground." She and the vehicle operator departed N62, and the flight to the shopping center took about 5 minutes. She stated that when they arrived at the shopping center, they flew over it "just above building height." When they reached the end of the shopping center, they began a right turn. She estimated that the bank angle was between 30 and 45 degrees. During the turn, the bank angle increased. The operator looked over his shoulder in her direction and "appeared to wiggle" the control stick, which had not effect on the ultralight. The ultralight then descended and struck the ground. The passenger also stated that the operator had owned the ultralight for about 3 years and had kept it at the New Hanover Airport. She stated that the operator had been flying for about 14 years, and had "a lot of flying experience." Several witnesses observed two ultralight vehicles making low passes over the Gilbertsville Shopping Center. One witness stated: "...I saw two ultralights flying together quite low and converging towards each other...they suddenly turned away from one another to avoid collision. One, which was blue and white, turned towards a tethered blimp...The other, which was dark colors...turned the other way. When I realized the blue and white ultralight was heading for the blimp...they hadn't seen it yet. Then the blue and white ultralight made an extremely sharp turn away from the blimp. They looked like they were banked almost 90 degrees...Then the ultralight appeared to level out before going below a tree line..." A witness in the shopping center stated that she was stopped in her vehicle when an "airplane descended out of the sky" and struck the rear of her automobile. Witnesses stated that the ultralight remained intact and the engine continued to operate until impact. The operator had purchased the ultralight kit from KOLB Aircraft during November, 1993. According to the owner of the New Hanover Airport, the operator had rented a hangar at the airport had kept different ultralights there for several years. The airport owner thought that the operator had kept the accident ultralight at the airport for 2 or 3 years. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the ultralight was equipped with 2 seats, a single set of flight controls, and 2 plastic 5 gallon fuel containers. One container was full and the other contained about 3 gallons of fuel. The vehicle was unregistered, and not inspected by the FAA. The FAA Inspector stated that there were no airframe, engine, or propeller maintenance records. He also stated that there were no construction records for the vehicle. The FAA Inspector classified the vehicle as a homebuilt airplane due to the dual seats, fuel capacity, and his estimate that the vehicle weight was 300 pounds. The FAA Inspector did not provide a toxicology box for toxicology testing of the operator. A letter was sent to the FAA's Allentown Flight Standard District Office (FSDO), that contained questions concerning surveillance of ultralight vehicles, for compliance with Part 103. The assistant manager of the FSDO telephoned with a verbal response, and stated that Allentown FSDO records indicated that 24 surveillance's had been conducted at the New Hanover Airport, during the previous 24 months. During the surveillance by an Allentown FSDO Inspector, no ultralight vehicles were observed or inspected. The assistant manager was aware that there were a few ultralights at the airport; however, he believed that they were hangared. He stated that FSDO Inspectors did inspect ultralights that were in the open, for compliance with Part 103,. The Allentown FSDO did not have a written policy, or plan, to conduct surveillance of ultralight vehicles for compliance with Part 103.
The noncertificated operator's improper decision to fly low over a congested area, which resulted in an abrupt maneuver to avoid a collision with a tethered blimp, and the subsequent uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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