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DEN04FA078

2004-05-25 · Carter, Wyoming, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FBR

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in a stall. Factors contributing to the accident include the non-certificated pilot's improper judgment and the his lack of experience.

Factual narrative

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 25, 2004, at approximately 0800 mountain daylight time, an unregistered Air Borne Windsports Pty. Ltd Edge Wing X Ultralight Trike, piloted by a non-certificated pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain at Fort Bridger Airport (FBR), near Carter, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. As the airport manager walked from his house (located on the airport) to the hangar to go to work approximately 0730, he noticed the pilot's truck was parked in the pilot's hangar and the ultralight was gone. Approximately 0800, the manager became concerned. As he drove around the airport, he noticed a white pole sticking up from the ground on the south side of runway 22. When he went to investigate, he found the wreckage of the ultralight. There were no known witnesses to the accident.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The non-certificated pilot did not possess an airman medical certificate. Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 103.7(b) does not require licensing or medical certification of ultralight pilots.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The ultralight trike, serial number 07-5494-6608, was manufactured in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It was equipped with a four-blade Rotax engine and two seats for training purposes. The ultralight was owned by the pilot and used for pleasure. There was no registration for this ultralight. FAR 103.7(c) states, "…ultralight vehicles are not required to be registered or to bear markings of any type."

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Weather recorded at 0814 at First Divide, Wyoming (the AWOS, or Automated Weather Observation Station, at Fort Bridger Airport) was as follows: Wind, 270 degrees at 1 knot, gusting to 3 knots; temperature, 4 degrees C.; dew point, -1 degree C. Sky condition, visibility, and altimeter setting were missing. Weather recorded at 0753 at Evanston, Wyoming, located was as follows: Wind, 170 degrees at 7 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles (or greater); sky condition, clear; temperature, 1 degree C.; dew point, -2 degrees C.; altimeter, 30.03 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The National Transportation Safety Board arrived on scene at approximately 1300 on May 25, 2004. The wreckage was located approximately 150 feet south of runway 22 in an open field with sagebrush vegetation. The field elevation of the accident site was 7,016 feet msl. There was no debris path and no ground scars prior to the wreckage. All of the ultralight's major components were accounted for with the main wreckage. The ultralight had impacted in a nose down attitude. The aluminum wing tubing was crushed aft and bent. The instrument panel was fragmented and the seat frame tubing was crushed aft.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed at Crandall Funeral Home in Evanston, Wyoming, on May 26, 2004. There was no evidence of physical incapacitation or impairment that would have been causal to the accident. The toxicology was performed by the State of Wyoming - Department of Health. The results were negative for all tests conducted.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to a spokesman for Golf Flying Machines, in Henderson Nevada, the pilot had obtained both flight and ground training from their establishment. The pilot had successfully completed the Ultralight Trike ground school on March 28, 2004; however, he had not completed his flight training and was not authorized by the school for solo operations. An instructor with Golf Flying Machines had flown the accident ultralight and noted the "lack of control on the wing." The pilot was advised to get the wing repaired, prior to flying it again. Party to the investigation was the Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards Field Office in Casper, Wyoming. As the airport manager walked from his house (located on the airport) to the hangar to go to work, he noticed the pilot's truck was parked in his hangar and his ultralight was gone. The manager became concerned and began a search around the airport. As he drove around the airport, he noticed a white pole sticking up from the ground on the south side of runway 22. When he went to investigate, he found the wreckage of the ultralight. There were no known witnesses to the accident. The ultralight had impacted in a nose down attitude. The pilot had obtained both flight and ground training; however, he had not completed his flight training for solo operations. An instructor had flown the accident ultralight and noted the "lack of control on the wing." The pilot was advised to get the wing repaired, prior to flying it again. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2004_DEN04FA078.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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