Amateur-built GLASTAR accident near Sheridan, Wyoming, December 10, 2014
On December 10, 2014 at about 8:13 pm local time, a 1999 amateur-built GLASTAR, registered N16XP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Sheridan, Wyoming (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power while maneuvering at low altitude for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2014 · about 8:13 pm local time
- Place
- Sheridan, Wyoming · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASTAR, built 1999
- Registration
- N16XP · registry record · serial 5170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had not flown the airplane in "some time." He added that, on the day of the accident, he performed a full power run-up and that the airplane "felt normal." The takeoff and climbout were normal; however, while the airplane was at 1,200 ft above ground level, the engine began to lose power. During the attempted forced landing, the main landing gear impacted an irrigation pipe, the left wing tip impacted a fence post, and the airplane then slid about 60 ft before coming to rest upright. The pilot reported that, after exiting the airplane, he observed a broken wire on the cowl flap cable, which he believed would have allowed the cowl flap to completely close and then resulted in the engine overheating. However, during a postaccident engine examination, it could not be determined if the wire on the cowl flap broke before or during the impact. The examination revealed no other evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal engine operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,199 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,199 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 12, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 341.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 10, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,180 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 428 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Sheridan WY at 8:05 pm
- Destination: NA Sheridan WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,320 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SHR, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR15LA058.