- Date
- August 7, 1983, 16:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Grants Pass, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- UNREGPterodactyl Ptravler
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 39642
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 ultralight collided with the terrain in an uncontrolled descent after a takeoff during air taxi practice. The two prospective buyers were taking turns taxiing the vehicle while being instructed by the owner. One of the prospects during his 2nd taxi run became airborne and climbed to an alt of about 100 ft AGL. Shortly after the vehicle was airborne a witness heard a power reduction and observed the vehicle start a descending roll to the left which continued until impact. The occupant was not wearing a belt/harness or any headgear. He received serious injuries. Neither of the prospective buyers were pilots nor did they have any ultralight experience.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Pterodactyl Ptravler
- Category
- Ultralight
- Serial number
- 056
- Engine
- Cuyuna 430B, 30 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 103
- Registered owner
- Lewis M. Fleming
- Airport
- 3S8 · Josephine County, runway 30, 4,000 × 75 ft, dirt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Center
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MFR, 27 nm away