- Date
- September 7, 1983, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Visalia, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- UNREGEipper MX
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23535
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.
Analysis
This ultralight plt, according to witnesses, expressed some anxiety about flying on the day of the accident. The instructor reviewed the procedures with her on the ground, but did not fly with her. The acft, prior to takeoff, had less than 2 gallons of fuel. It burns 2 gals/hr. This flt was scheduled for 30 minutes. The acft flew for about 15 mins. After takeoff prior to returning to land. The acft made several approaches only to go-around. The instructor and his partner tookoff in a 2 place vehicle to try to lead the student in, but broke off their approach before she landes. She got about 2 ft AGL, but went around again without ever reducing the power below 75 percent. On the next base leg the acft pitched up and stalled after which it pitched nose down and crashed. After crash examination revealed that the propeller was not rotating at ground contact and the acft and engine contained no fuel. The engine operated after refueling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Eipper MX
- Category
- Ultralight, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5607
- Airframe hours
- 6
- Engine
- Rotax 377, 32 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 103
- Registered owner
- John And Mary Dittner
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 20, 1983 · 6 hours before
- Airport
- runway 25, 1,200 × 60 ft, dirt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 13 total · 13 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VIS, 4 nm away