Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palm Bay, Florida 32905
Sunday, April 1, 1984 9:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLTS OF 2 ULTRALIGHT VEHICLES WERE ACCOMPANYING EACH OTHER & WERE FLYING WEST AT 500 FT AGL IN CALM AIR WHEN AN ACFT CROSSED AHEAD OF THEIR FLT PATH. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATE TO BE FLYING AT ABOUT 140 KTS & APRX 40 FT ABOVE THE ULTRALIGHTS' ALT. THE SURVIVING PLT STATED THAT HE CLIMBED TO CROSS ABOVE THE ACFT'S FLT PATH. HOWEVER, THE OTHER ULTRALIGHT, A PTERODACTYL ASCENDER II, CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD & CROSSED ABOUT 10 SEC BEHIND THE ACFT. AFTER CROSSING THE ACFT'S FLT PATH, THE ASCENDER WAS SEEN TO SLOW DOWN & DRIFT TO THE RIGHT, THEN ENTER A SPIN & CRASH. REPORTEDLY, A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING HAD FAILED BEFORE THE ULTRALIGHT CRASHED. NO PREEXISTING CRACKS WERE FOUND. ALL FACTURES WERE TYPICAL OF THOSE PRODUCED BY OVERSTRESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PALM BAY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32905
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID MLB
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 461
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24082
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number MIA84FU003
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 103: Ultralight
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PTERODACTYL
Aircraft Model ASCENDER II
Aircraft Series Identifier ASCENDER I
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT W. ROPER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 506 BANYAN WAY
Aircraft Owner City MELBOURNE BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32951
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --