Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ramona, California 92065
Wednesday, December 28, 1983 9:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS FLYING THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE TO CHECK IT OUT BEFORE ALLOWING HIS STUDENT TO SOLO. APRX 15 MIN AFTER THE PLT TOOK OFF, HE WAS FLYING OVER THE ARPT AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL WHEN WITNESSES HEARD A 'LOUD NON-METALLIC' SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, IT ENTERED A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. REPORTEDLY, THE VEHICLE MADE ABOUT 3 TURNS, AND DURING EACH TURN, THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED. AT APRX 200 FT AGL, THE PLT RELEASED HIS PARACHUTE, BUT THE CANOPY NEVER BLOSSOMED.THE VEHICLE IMPACTED IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING FABRIC WAS TORN IN A MANNER THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN IN-FLT SEPARATION. THE OUTBOARD COMPRESSION SUPPORT TUBE WAS FOUND 15 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. ONLY REMNANTS OF THE ATTACH BOLT WERE FOUND. FOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER OCT 83, THE COMPANY HAD CHANGED THE GRADE OF THE BOLT, BUT HAD NOT ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN. HOWEVER, A SERVICE BULLETIN, ALL-8303-A, WAS ISSUED CONCERNING LOOSENING OF COURSE THREAD BOLTS (SIMILAR TO THE ATTACH BOLT) BUT NO EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City RAMONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92065
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
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 205
Airport Elevation 1400
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 295
Weather Observation Facility ID CRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 18
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) 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) 2529
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22842
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 LAX84FU024
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 EIPPER
Aircraft Model MX
Aircraft Series Identifier MX
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 No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAN DIEGO ULTRALIGHT AIRPARK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 619
Aircraft Owner City RAMONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92065
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PST
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 27
Runway Length 1000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --