- Date
- April 18, 1985, 18:50 local (Apr 19, 1985, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hockley, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- UNREGCondor Condor III
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 21581
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Wing,wing rib - failure,totalCause
Loss of control - in flight
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The acft collided with the terrain in a near vertical descent. Witnesses stated the ultralight was airborne for aprx 5 minutes before a loud 'pop' was heard and it entered a steep nose down spiral. Inspection of the ultralight revealed a failed bolt in the rear spar of the left wing. The bolt was intended to hold a brace between the rear wing spar and the front wing spar, and also a brace from the left rear wing spar to the tail section.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Condor Condor III
- Category
- Ultralight, amateur-built
- Serial number
- UKN
- Engine
- Kawasaki TA440A030530, 37 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 103
- Operator
- Frank Lee Volta
- Registered owner
- Not Registered
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IAH, 25 nm away