Eipper QUICKSILVER accident near Manvel, North Dakota, July 3, 2012
On July 3, 2012, a Eipper QUICKSILVER (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Manvel, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a wheat field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2012
- Place
- Manvel, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Eipper QUICKSILVER MX II
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial UNKNOWN
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot said that he had been flying his unregistered aircraft too low over a wheat field. He stated that he encountered a "thermal" and that the aircraft’s nosewheel caught in the wheat, causing the airplane to nose over and impact the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage structure. About 8 minutes after the accident occurred, the wind was reported as being from 320 degrees at 6 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Manvel ND
- Destination: NONE Manvel ND
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.