Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mountville, Pennsylvania 17554
Monday, October 24, 1983 17:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AMPHIBIAN ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE WAS BEING FLOWN ON A SERIES OF FLT TESTS AFTER BEING ASSEMBLED. AT APRX 1615 EDT, THE PLT TOOK OFF & WAS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER PLT IN ANOTHER ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE FOR OBSERVATION PURPOSES. NO UNDESIRABLE FLT CHARACTERISTIC WAS NOTED. AT APRX 1650 EDT, THE CHASE PLT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT WHILE THE PLT ON THE TEST FLT REMAINED AIRBORNE. AT ABOUT 1715 EDT, A WITNESS OBSERVED THE ULTRALIGHT MANEUVERING. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE VEHICLE WAS FAIRLY HIGH, SPINNING AROUND AT A FAST RATE & DESCENDING RAPIDLY UNTIL IT LEVELED OFF AT AN ALT OF BETWEEN 400 TO 500 FT AGL. ANOTHER WITNESS SAID HE WAS WATCHING THE ULTRALIGHT & SAW IT DIP & TURN A FEW TIMES, THEN THE WINGS FOLDED UP & THE VEHICLE CRASHED. ALL COMPONENTS OF THE CRAFT WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. BOTH WINGS HAD THE SAME KIND OF DAMAGE CHARACTERISTICS, BUT THE RIGHT WING & STRUTS WERE DAMAGED TO A GREATER DEGREE. NO PREIMPACT/ MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MOUNTVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17554
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 440
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID LNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 403
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2300
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 2356
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22690
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
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 NYC84FU002
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 HIGHCRAFT
Aircraft Model BUCCANEER
Aircraft Series Identifier BUCCANEER
Aircraft Serial Number 9
Certified Max Gross Weight 554
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 5
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS MCBRAIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address RYRAM ROAD
Aircraft Owner City POINT PLEASANT
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18750
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SCOTT BURD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address CENTRAL MANOR AIRPORT
Operator City WASHINGTON BORO
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17582
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 89N
Departure City MOUNTVILLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
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 --