Air Creation GTE N227EH

Summary

On 14 June 2010 at about 18:45 local time, a Air Creation GTE registered N227EH was involved in an accident near Springville, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 June 2010 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Springville, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.1650, -111.5964

Aircraft

Air Creation GTE

Registration

N227EH

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Springville → Springville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10LA292

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and his failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-certified pilot purchased the weight-shift category light sport airplane approximately 3 months prior to the accident and was departing on his first flight when the accident occurred. A family member reported that the pilot had flown non-motorized hang gliders 40 years prior to the accident, and he had not obtained instruction in the airplane prior to departing on the solo flight. Witnesses observed the airplane, which resembled a powered hang glider, accelerate and takeoff from an open school yard. Immediately after it got airborne, it impacted telephone and power lines that ran along a road at the end of the school yard. An amateur video recording of the accident flight depicted a red and white motorized hang glider accelerate across a schoolyard baseball field, get airborne and, 2 seconds later, impact residential telephone and power cables. The airplane rotated violently around the power lines and came to rest on the street below. The engine could be heard operating until the airplane’s collision with the power lines. The power lines are estimated to have been approximately 35 feet above the ground. While toxicology testing was consistent with relatively recent use of two separate narcotic painkillers and one prescription anti-anxiety medication, the toxicology findings were not consistent with impairment by any of the medications at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.