Abandoned Air Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. George, Utah 84770
Saturday, May 21, 1983 9:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

REPORTEDLY, THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED AT AN ABANDONED ARPT, THEN WAS TEST FLOWN BY AN INTERNATIONAL ULTRALIGHT COMPANY SALESMAN. THE NON-RATED PLT, WHO WAS PLANNING TO BUY THE ULTRALIGHT, THEN FLEW THE VEHICLE TO FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH ITS FLT CHARACTERISTICS. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER FLYING A SHORT TIME, THE PLT STARTED AN APCH TO LAND. WHEN THE ULTRALIGHT WAS ABOUT 50 TO 60 FT AGL, A WING FOLDED & THE VEHICLE CRASHED & BURNED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A STRUCTURAL CABLE HAD FAILED AT A SWEDGE FITTING. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF NON-UNIFORM CRIMPING OF THE SWEDGE FITTING. TWO TYPES OF FRACTURES WERE FOUND WHERE THE CABLE FAILED (SHEAR & DUCTILE). THE SHEAR FAILURE WAS PREDOMINANTLY LOCATED AT THE SURFACE OF 1 BUNDLE OF WIRE STRANDS AT THE SWEDGE FITTING. THE DUCTILE FRACTURES WERE NOTED ON THE REMAINING INTERNAL STRANDS. THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK WAS INSTALLED ABOVE THE PLT. ON IMPACT, IT RUPTURED & SPILLED FUEL ON THE PLT & HOT ENG. THE PLT RECEIVED FATAL BURNS; ULTRALIGHT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ST. GEORGE
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84770
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ABANDONED AIR STRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2880
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 5170
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) 1983
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22335
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 DEN83LU001
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name INTL ULTRALIGHT
Aircraft Model BANSHEE
Aircraft Series Identifier BANSHEE
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
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 INTER. ULTRALIGHT AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6024 S. 300 W.
Aircraft Owner City MURRAY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 915
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Approach
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 36
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --