Amateur-built PHANTOM II accident near Erie, Colorado, April 13, 1985
On April 13, 1985 at about 6:03 pm local time, a amateur-built PHANTOM II (ultralight), registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Erie, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- April 13, 1985 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PHANTOM II
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 2008
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ULTRALIGHT DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED TO GROUND IMPACT FOLLOWING A FAILURE OF THE OUTBOARD FORWARD WING SUPPORT CABLE/SWAGE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ULTRALIGHT TURNED FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND UPON LEVELING OUT, THE LEFT WING SNAPPED UPWARD, THE RIGHT WING COLLAPSED AND THE ULTRALIGHT ENTERED A DIVING TURN TO THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT TESTS DISCLOSED ALL 4 CABLE ASS'Y WERE MANUFACTURED WITH THE NICROPRESS OVAL M SLEEVE BUT WERE SWAGED WITH THE WRONG SWAGING TOOL (SLIGHTLY LARGER) FOR THE OVAL P. THE CABLE SHOWED EVIDENCE OF FAILURE AT THE NICROPRESS SWAGED CONNECTIONS. TENSILE TESTS REVEALED THE IMPROPERLY SWAGED CONNECTIONS FAILED PREMATURELY DUE TO SLIPPAGE AT THE CONNECTIONS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 720 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 2-CYCLE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie Airpark CO at 6:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.