CHI84FU008

NTSB accident investigation · Mattison MAC Ultralight · Three Lakes, WI · July 24, 1984

Accident · FatalFinal report
Date
July 24, 1984, 09:35 local (14:35 UTC)
Place
Three Lakes, WI
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
UNREGMattison MAC Ultralight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
12437

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Aircraft handling - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Inadequate initial trainingPilot in commandCause
Directional control - improperPilot in commandCause
Throttle/power control - improper use ofPilot in commandCause
Proper descent rate - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Pull-up - not attainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The recently purchased ultralight was taxied for about 40 minutes prior to the new owner trying his first flt. He had been advised by the former owner to make short hops at low altitude during a familiarization period. The former owner wanted to be present for this period because the new owner had no aviation experience. The new owner took off on his first flt without the instruction of the short hop period of familiarization. The takeoff went ok and the ultralight proceeded downwind to base in a controlled level flt. The turn to final approach was overshot and the ultralight angled back to 40 deg off the rwy heading. Over a tree he was heard to throttle back to descend, then to accelerate and decelerate. At this time the ultralight was seen to nose down & dive into the ground from about 100 ft AGL at an angle of about 30 degrees. The acft was destroyed and the plt fatally injured on impact. The engine was started and run at various power settings for 10 minutes in a test after the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
UNREG
Reported as
Mattison MAC Ultralight (MAC ULTRAL)
Category
Ultralight, amateur-built
Engine
Kawasaki TA340A, 40 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 103
Registered owner
Patrick R. Maney
Airport
40D · Three Lakes Mu., runway 3, 3,760 × 120 ft, grass/turf

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
36
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Unknown
Seat
Center
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F