Rotec Engineering, Inc. 3A accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, June 27, 1983
On June 27, 1983 at about 6:00 am local time, a Rotec Engineering, Inc. 3A, registered N397RE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Private Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1983 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rotec Engineering, Inc. 3A
- Registration
- N397RE · no longer on the register · serial 25154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & A PASSENGER WERE ON A SALES DEMONSTRATION FLT IN THE TWO-PLACE, HOME BUILT, ULTRALIGHT ACFT. DURING TAKEOFF, THE ACFT MUSHED INTO POWER LINES AFTER ATTAINING AN ALTITUDE OF APRX 30 FT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER DURING TAKEOFF. HE ADDED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE, BUT NOT PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFINCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE 1500 FT STRIP WAS REPORTED TO BE ROUGH WITH GRASS, 14 INCHES TALL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 978 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1983; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 733 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.