Accident Overview
On May 17, 2012, at approximately 1150 mountain daylight time, an experimental Marley Kolb Firestarter II, registration N9173T, impacted terrain in an open field approximately 100 yards north of Cedar Valley Airport (UT10) in Cedar Fort, Utah. The sport pilot, who owned the aircraft and was the sole occupant, was conducting a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight's departure point was unknown. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage.
Witness Account
A witness reported observing the airplane begin to wobble during its landing sequence. She described the day as windy and noted that a sudden gust of wind caused the airplane to tip onto its side while airborne. The pilot appeared to attempt to level the aircraft but was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the open terrain near the runway, rolled several times, and came to rest inverted.
Investigation Details
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site was able to establish flight control continuity. The inspector also reported that local thunderstorms with microburst activity were present in the area at the time of the accident.
The pilot did not provide a completed NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form 6120.1 nor a written statement to the investigator.