LAX84FU025

NTSB accident investigation · Wizard J-3BR503 · Lake Elsinore, CA · March 7, 1984

Accident · FatalFinal report
Date
March 7, 1984, 11:55 local (19:55 UTC)
Place
Lake Elsinore, CA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
UNREGWizard J-3BR503
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
24014

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 flightManeuvering
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunctionManeuvering
Remedial action - improperPilot in commandCause
Lack of total experiencePilot in command
Wing - overload
Design stress limits of aircraft - exceededPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The acft collided with the ground in a past vertical inverted position. The wings failed in negative load after the plt lost control in pitch with the airspeed decreasing and stalled into a dive. The plt was on his first solo flt and his instructor was watching from the ground and talking to him on a one-way radio. The CFI was calling for a level flt at 40-45 mph. The acft stalls at 21 mph and has a top speed of 65 mph. The vehicle was about 600 ft AGL when the accident sequence began. The student plt had flown 10 hours of dual and this solo flt lasted about 25 minutes. Weather was not a factor and no evidence was found of any failures or malfunctions which might have contributed to the accident. The autopsy examination did not disclose any pre-existing conditions which would have detracted from the plts ability to flythe vehicle. The plt was 60 years old and did not have a pilots certificate.

Aircraft

Registration
UNREG
Reported as
Wizard J-3BR503
Category
Ultralight, amateur-built
Serial number
46011
Airframe hours
10
Engine
Bombardier ROTAX-GMBH, 47 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 103
Registered owner
Elsinore Ultralight Flt Park

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
60
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Unknown
Seat
Center
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
10 total · 10 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg