- Date
- September 7, 1984, 19:45 local (Sep 8, 1984, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lowerlake, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- UNREGPioneer Flightstar
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 24021
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
After takeoff the ultralight flew at about 50 ft AGL toward a row of oak trees bordering a pasture. It then struck a 60 ft tree & crashed. Two witnesses who knew the plt well stated he had 'been drinking quite a bit' on the day of the accident. They also stated the plt '...liked to trim the tops of the trees' & had a reputation as 'a hot dog.' The plt'sthree previous certificates, dating from 1964, had either been revoked or rescinded for various FAR violations & medicalreasons. His orig student plt certificate was revoked in 1964 for various FAR violations including unwarranted low flt near occupied boats at sea. Later applications for certificates were denied & revoked due to 'a clinical history of a disturbance of consciousness without satisfactory medical explanation. The plt's blood alcohol content was 0.08%.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Pioneer Flightstar
- Category
- Ultralight, amateur-built
- Airframe hours
- 116
- Engine
- Kawasaki TA440-436CC, 40 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 103
- Operator
- Paul Price
- Departed
- Lowerlake, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 40 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F