The National Transportation Safety Board has issued its preliminary report on a fatal White County ultralight plane crash. The crash killed the pilot and owner of the plane, 79-year-old Lee Olson of Gainesville.
The amateur-built Kolb Firestar II airplane went down at 1:05 p.m. on July 8 at Mountain Airpark near Cleveland.
According to the report, the airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Olson held a sport pilot certificate and his aircraft was based at the airpark.
“A review of airpark surveillance video revealed that as the airplane began its initial climb, the pitch angle increased, and the airplane entered a steep left bank turn. The airplane turned left about 180 degrees and descended behind trees. The airplane collided with a hangar and then terrain before it came to rest in the driveway of a personal residence. There was no post-impact fire.
The airplane wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.”
“At this early stage of an investigation, NTSB does not state a cause. Investigations currently take between 12 and 24 months to complete,” says Jennifer Gabris with NTSB Media Relations.
Olson, who was critically injured in the crash, was flown by helicopter to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. He passed away two days later on Sunday, July 10, according to officials.
Mountain Airpark is a private grass airfield southeast of Cleveland.
