Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dahlonega, Georgia 30533
Wednesday, July 20, 1983 20:22 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB ABOUT 600 TO 700 FT OVER A PASTURE EAST OF THE RWY, THEN THE PLT BEGAN TO PERFORM AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. AFTER COMPLETING A LOOP, THE ULTRALIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO ROTATE NOSE UP. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, A WITNESS HEARD A CRACKING SOUND. HE SAID THE ROTATION THEN STOPPED & THE ULTRALIGHT STARTED FALLING NOSE 1ST TOWARD THE GROUND. A PLT, WHO WAS WATCHING, SAID THE LEFT WING WAS FLUTTERING, BUT DID NOT COLLAPSE DURING THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. REPORTEDLY, THE ENG WAS AT FULL POWER UNTIL IMPACT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHO WAS ALSO A DEALER, SAID HE HAD WARNED THE PLT NOT TO PERFORM AEROBATICS IN THIS ULTRALIGHT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING INNER & CENTER COMPRESSION STRUTS WERE BENT & THE LEFT TRAILING EDGE SPAR WAS BROKEN AT THE INNER COMPRESSION STRUT ATTACHING BOLT HOLE. THE INNER SURFACE OF THE REAR SPAR, NEAR THE COMPRESSION STRUT, SHOWED SIGNS OF COMPRESSION & COLUMN BUCKLING PRIOR TO FRACTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2022
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DAHLONEGA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30533
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9A0
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 1311
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2000 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID FTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 840
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 51
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
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) 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) 2326
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22661
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 ATL83FU004
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 CONDOR II
Aircraft Model SPECIAL
Aircraft Series Identifier SPECIAL
Aircraft Serial Number 83-102-2
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 No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER M. GRIZZLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 4
Aircraft Owner City DAHLONEGA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30533
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 No
Departure Airport Code 9A0
Departure City DAHLONEGA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2015
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Maneuvering
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 --