Smith HORNET accident near St. George, UT
On August 11, 2018, a Smith HORNET (airplane) was involved in an accident near St. George, UT. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 11, 2018
- Place
- St. George, UT
- Aircraft
- Smith HORNET · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 37.035°N, 113.506°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180811X32511
Official records · WPR18LA217
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 11, 2018, about 0855 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hornet airplane, N218B, impacted terrain during takeoff from St. George Regional Airport, St. George, Utah. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum Inc. and was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. Video from a security camera at the airport showed the airplane taxiing toward the end of the runway, and then the airplane was no longer in the camera's view. Shortly thereafter, the airplane came back into the camera's view and was seen just above the runway surface in a nearly wings vertical, nose low attitude just before impact with the ground. The airplane's owner reported that, just before the accident, a gust of wind "came out of nowhere" that shook the building in which he was located. First responders reported that, when they arrived on scene about 10 minutes after the accident, the engine was still running. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe owner of the airplane reported that the pilot "was heavily involved" with the accident airplane, was "very meticulous" about maintenance and safety, and ensured that the airplane operated "as optimally as possible." The airplane owner also stated that the pilot had accumulated "thousands" of flight hours, some of which included light airplanes that were heavier than the accident airplane. Th
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of airplane control during takeoff due to an unexpected gust of wind.
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Browse: Utah · Smith 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.
