Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Laramie, Wyoming 82072
Monday, January 6, 2003 15:48 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The ultra light was observed flying over a city park at a very low altitude and very slow. Several witnesses in the park reported that the pilot waved at them and was smiling. One witness said the aircraft's wings rocked several times, its nose pointed at the ground, it rotated to the right, and it crashed. No preimpact engine or airframe anomalies were identified that might have affected the airplane's performance. Toxicological analysis on two different specimens of the pilot's blood performed at two different locations indicated two substantially different levels of ethanol. No other specimens were tested for ethanol. The pilot's autopsy was conducted 3 days following the accident, and it is not possible to determine conclusively whether the ethanol reported is from ingestion or post-mortem production. A half-full bottle of alcohol was found in the pilot's vehicle. Toxicology examination also revealed high levels of diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedative effects, often known by the trade name Benadryl. The pilot had been prescribed a low dose of Effexor (venlafaxine), a prescription antidepressant medication.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in an inadvertent stall/mush. Contributing factors include the pilot's use of an over-the-counter antihistamine, and the pilot's inadequate in-flight decision to fly at low altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/6/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1548 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Laramie |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 82072 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 411851N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1053614W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1556 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 275 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LAR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 7278 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.43 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 7213 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14886 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 9 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1749 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2004 8:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Casper, WY |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | None |
| NTSB Number | DEN03FA030 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Silvius |
| Aircraft Model | Rans S-12XL |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 920 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 432 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jon M. Silvius |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | Laramie |
| Aircraft Owner State | WY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 82072 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | LAR |
| Departure City | Laramie |
| Departure State | WY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 22 2003 3:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |