Boulder City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder City, Nevada 89005
Friday, May 18, 2012 12:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Upon arrival at the airport, the pilots of the accident airplane and of another airplane flying at the same time briefed the passengers on what to expect during their adventure flight, and they subsequently began the first of four planned flights. The first two flights were uneventful. The accident occurred during the third flight of the day. A review of the UNICOM radio communications revealed that, shortly after the airplanes took off, the accident pilot announced, “canopy, canopy.” The lead airplane pilot asked the accident pilot if he was heading back; the accident pilot’s response could not be understood. The accident airplane subsequently made a right descending turn and impacted a berm in desert terrain at a high descent rate and then bounced about 200 feet before coming to rest about a 1/2 mile from the airport. The airplane came to rest between two sets of power lines next to an access road. First responders to the accident site reported that both of the airplane’s canopies were closed and that the engine remained running for about 20 minutes before it shut down on its own. A postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and forward and aft canopies revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. If one of the canopies had somehow become displaced, the canopy illumination warning light would have activated, and the pilot should have followed the emergency procedures, which state, in part, to land as soon as practical, and likely would have been able to control the airplane and land. The reason for the pilot’s radio transmission about the canopy and his initiation of a right descending turn could be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight emergency followed by a collision with terrain for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and forward and aft canopies revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Boulder City
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89005
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355715N
Event Location Longitude 1145255W
Event Location Airport Boulder City Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BVU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 2201
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BVU
Elevation of weather observation facility 2201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.72
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32980
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2014 6:23PM
User who most recently changed record cort
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39WT
NTSB Number WPR12FA216
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO VODOCHODY
Aircraft Model L-39
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 132127
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 17 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2459.8
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name WOLTOSZ WALTER S
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City PALMDALE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93551-2826
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Mach 1 Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Van Nuys
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BVU
Departure City Boulder City
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BVU
Destination City Boulder City
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2013 5:30PM
User who most recently changed record cort
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --