- Date
- May 20, 1983, 19:30 local (May 21, 1983, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- 5n Battle Creek, NE
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- UNREGWeedhopper JC-24C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 33358
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
The plt had assembled & flown the ultralight vehicle during the previous summer. This was his 1st flt after removing it from winter storage. He was observed preflighting the vehicle before takeoff. At about the time of the accident, a ground witness heard the ultralight fly over, but no known eye witnesses saw the vehicle crash. During the accident, it impacted in an open pasture in a steep nose down, left wing low attitude. There was little movement after impact & 1 propeller blade was shattered. Aprx 3 gal of fuel was remaining in the fuel tank. The plt's total flt time was not determined. According to his father, the plt conducted flts over his farm to observe his crops & cattle. The flt controls consisted of an elevator push-pull rod & rudder cables that were attached to a 'joy stick.' The ultralight was not equipped with ailerons or spoilers for roll control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Weedhopper JC-24C
- Category
- Ultralight, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1943
- Engine
- Chotia TM 460, 25 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 103
- Registered owner
- John H. Wacker
- Airport
- runway 9, 1,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORF, 8 nm away