Amateur-built KOLB FIRESTAR II accident near Gwinn, Michigan, July 17, 2000
On July 17, 2000, a amateur-built KOLB FIRESTAR II, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Gwinn, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not obtaining/maintaining altitude/clearance. Factors were the tree and the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2000
- Place
- Gwinn, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KOLB FIRESTAR II KOLB FIRES
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An unregistered airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain following takeoff. The uncertificated pilot was fatally injured. A neighbor stated, '... that he lives a few houses away from the crash site, and heard the engine of the aircraft 'reving up' for approximately 2 minutes, and then heard a loud 'boom.' He stated that he thought it was a crash, and went to the scene, and called 9-1-1 on his cellular telephone.' During an on-scene examination the aircraft was found in a nose-down attitude with its wing leading edges and cockpit area crushed. Three 5 gallon tanks were found. The ballistic chute had been deployed, did not open, and its attach cable was found under the left wing. The aircraft contacted a tree after takeoff. No pre-impact anomalies were found, the ignition produced spark, and the cylinders had compression. At 2055, weather was: Wind 230 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 28 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.82 inches of mercury. At 2055, density altitude at the Sawyer International Airport was 3,173 feet above mean sea level.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax UNK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from SAW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.