Mcdonnell Douglas A-4N accident near Salt Lake City, UT
On May 10, 2003, a Mcdonnell Douglas A-4N (airplane) was involved in an accident near Salt Lake City, UT. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 10, 2003
- Place
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas A-4N · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.893°N, 112.276°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030515X00672
Official records · DEN03TA079
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 10, 2003, at approximately 1209 mountain daylight time, a former military non-certificated McDonnell Douglas A-4N Skyhawk, N263WL, was destroyed when it impacted the Great Salt Lake following a loss of engine power near Salt Lake City, Utah. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant on the airplane, was fatally injured. Advanced Training Systems International (ATSI), Inc., Mesa, Arizona, was operating the airplane, under contract to the United States Government (U.S. Army Big Crow Program Office), as a public use flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that originated from Mesa, Arizona, at approximately 1100. The pilot was flying the number two aircraft, in a flight of three, under an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The planned destination was Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah. According to ATSI, the airplane was number two in a flight of three fighters that were repositioning from Williams Gateway Airport, Mesa, Arizona, to Cold Lake Military Airport, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, to support the Canadian military forces in training. The lead pilot reported that the flight was uneventful until the descent into Hill Air Force Base. He said that the flight had leveled off at 12,000 feet on a heading of 340 degrees with an indicated airspeed of 300 knots. Then, number three observed a "fairly thick vapor trail (white) emanate from the center fuselage of the aircraft [number two] and then stop. Duration of the event was less than 2 seconds. I was about to query the pilot about it when he reported, 'I
Probable cause
The lose of engine power during descent due to the in-flight collision with a bird which FOD damaged the engine and subsequently melted the turbine section. A contributing factor was the airplane's malfunctioning ejection seat.
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Browse: Utah · Mcdonnell Douglas aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
