Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fargo, North Dakota 58059
Sunday, November 6, 1983 17:07 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-RATED PLT HAD TAKEN GROUND & DUAL FLT INSTRUCTION IN ULTRALIGHT FLYING & HAD SOLOED EARLIER THAT DAY. HE THEN TOOK OFF & FLEW EAST, AWAY FROM THE DESIGNATED ULTRALIGHT TRAINING AREA. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES DRIVING EAST ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SAW THE PLT FLYING WESTBOUND AT LOW ALTITUDE. TWO WITNESSES SAID THE PLT WAVED AT THEM AS HE FLEW BY. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THEY NOTICED A SHOWER OF SPARKS TO THEIR REAR. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE. THE ULTRALIGHT REMAINED ENTANGLED IN THE WIRES FOR AN ESTIMATED 35 TO 45 SECONDS. IT BEGAN BURNING BEFORE IT FELL TO THE GROUND. REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS A 'SMALL EXPLOSION' WHEN THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK WAS MELTED BY THE FIRE. THE PLT WAS BURNED OVER 57% OF HIS BODY WITH 3RD DEGREE BURNS, BUT SURVIVED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 2 TO 3 MIN AFTER SUNSET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/6/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1707
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FARGO
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58059
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 230
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1649 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 62
Weather Observation Facility ID FAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 424
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) 2010
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22362
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 DEN84FU001
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EIPPER
Aircraft Model QUICKSILVER E
Aircraft Series Identifier QUICKSILVE
Aircraft Serial Number 1510
Certified Max Gross Weight 450
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 C. L. EVENSON & RALPH HILTWIEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 210 ELM STREET
Aircraft Owner City KINDRED
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59051
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
Departure City MAPLETON
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1650
Departure Time Zone CST
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 --