Josephine County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Sunday, August 7, 1983 16:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ULTRALIGHT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AFTER A TAKEOFF DURING AIR TAXI PRACTICE. THE TWO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS WERE TAKING TURNS TAXIING THE VEHICLE WHILE BEING INSTRUCTED BY THE OWNER. ONE OF THE PROSPECTS DURING HIS 2ND TAXI RUN BECAME AIRBORNE AND CLIMBED TO AN ALT OF ABOUT 100 FT AGL. SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS AIRBORNE A WITNESS HEARD A POWER REDUCTION AND OBSERVED THE VEHICLE START A DESCENDING ROLL TO THE LEFT WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL IMPACT. THE OCCUPANT WAS NOT WEARING A BELT/HARNESS OR ANY HEADGEAR. HE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.NEITHER OF THE PROSPECTIVE BUYERS WERE PILOTS NOR DID THEY HAVE ANY ULTRALIGHT EXPERIENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City GRANTS PASS
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97526
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOSEPHINE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3S8
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 1122
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID MFR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1331
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 853
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21060
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 SEA83FU008
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 103: Ultralight
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PTERODACTYL
Aircraft Model PTRAVLER
Aircraft Series Identifier PTRAVLER
Aircraft Serial Number 056
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 LEWIS M. FLEMING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 861 KINCAID ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WILLIAMS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97544
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1619
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Descent
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 30
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --