Amateur-built HAWK accident near New Kent, Virginia, October 6, 1983
On October 6, 1983 at about 10:05 pm local time, a amateur-built HAWK (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near New Kent, Virginia (New Kent airport). It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- October 6, 1983 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- New Kent, Virginia · New Kent · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HAWK
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & HIS PARTNER HAD COMPLETED BUILDING THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. SINCE THEN, THE PLT HAD FLOWN IT APRX 8 HRS. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE VEHICLE CIRCLE THE ARPT IN WHAT HE INDICATED WAS A NORMAL LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RWY 28. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF TURNING TO A FINAL APCH, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED PAST THE RWY CENTERLINE, BUT KEPT TURNING TO PARALLEL THE RWY. AT ABOUT MIDFIELD, THE ULTRALIGHT CROSSED OVER THE RWY, THEN REVERSE TO A RIGHT TURN. DURING THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE STEADILY DESCENDED FROM AN ALT OF APRX 600 FT AGL (TRAFFIC ENTRY) TO APRX 400 FT ON BASE, THEN TO 100 FT WHEN IT REVERSED TO A RIGHT TURN. IT CONTINUED TURNING RIGHT (APRX 270 DEG), THEN IT ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE FLT CONTROLS REVEALED THAT WHEN LEFT RUDDER WAS APPLIED, THE ELEVATORBELLCRANK WOULD JAM AGAINST THE RUDDER HORN & ONLY ABOUT NEUTRAL NOSE-UP ELEVATOR WAS AVAILABLE. AN EXPERIENCED BUILDER REPORTED THIS PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED BEFORE. THE KIT DID NOT PROVIDE A MIN CLEARANCE OR CAUTION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 530 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna R-430 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.