- Date
- August 22, 1983, 19:20 local (Aug 23, 1983, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Carthage, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- UNREGAirmass Sunburst
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 33361
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 making several takeoffs & landings, the plt circled the arpt, then departed in a northerly direction. One witness stated that the vehicle was flying toward a storm that was approaching from the north. He estimated the ultralight was at aprx 300 ft AGL when it turned about 30 deg left, then the right wing folded. Subsequently, the vehicle impacted in an inverted attitude. Witnesses that were nearby at the time of the accident stated that the winds were from the southwest, just prior to the occurrence, then immediately after the accident, the winds shifted to the northeast & were very strong, reportedly gusting to 40 KTS. Strong storm cells with tops to 50,000 ft were reported within 22 mi. Several flying & landing wires were found broken.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Airmass Sunburst
- Category
- Ultralight, amateur-built
- Airframe hours
- 400
- Engine
- Cuyuna 430R, 30 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 103
- Registered owner
- Ronald W. Maxwell
- Departed
- H20 · Carthage, MO
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 88 total · 30 in this make and model · 80 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg